Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has finally responded to claims that his decisions on issues pertaining to the general elections of 2023 were prejudiced.
According to reports, elections of public office holders who were chosen in the most recent general elections were declared void by the Appeal Court and electoral tribunals.
Due to petitions filed by opposition parties, the courts have dismissed a number of senators, governors, and members of the House of Representatives.
The judiciary, according to supporters of the ousted leaders, has been taken over and shaped by the ruling All Progressives Congress, or APC.
Speaking during the inauguration of the 2023/2024 special session of the legal year and the induction of 58 recently appointed Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), however, Ariwoola urged judges to maintain their firmness, emphasizing that legality should not be confused with feeling.
He pleaded the judges not to let the opinions of the “mob” influence their decisions.
“It is still important to keep in mind that the law will always prevail over popular opinion, sentiment, or emotion when making decisions in cases that come before you,” he stated.
Regardless of the parties involved, the law remains the law. As legal translators, we ought always strive to separate assumption from reality and emotion from reason in all we do.
“We shouldn’t let the loud voices or actions of the mob or crowd intimidate us to the point where we start equating sentiment or other factors with the law when making decisions in our cases.”
