In spite of the unacceptable shenanigans at play in the courts in Ekiti State, there is every reason to be happy about the new atmosphere in the country. After the scant regard for the rule of law during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, today there is the emergence of a new more sensible framework.
After what can only be described as the comedy of errors in Adamawa State, the respect for the judgement of Justice Adeniyi Ademola is edifying. The speedy swearing in of the former Deputy Governor Bala James Ngilari, impeached Governor Murtala Nyako’s deputy for over seven years reflects a new respect for the judiciary.
The present administration is to be commended for building upon the new ethos laid out by Late President Umaru Yar’Adua. The contrast is marked. For under the Obasanjo regime the government would have spent an eternity studying the judgement. In this view the speedy response of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also deserves kudos. There would have been chaos and unnecessary waste of funds if INEC had dithered about suspending the impending governorship elections barely 72 hours away at the time of the judgement.
Whatever the outcome of any appeal, we are satisfied about the newly rekindled self-confidence as well as the resilience of our judiciary. The renewed confidence and assertiveness of the judiciary is important. For with pivotal and potential game-changing elections to hold next year it is crucial that the judiciary’s authority remains unassailable.
Overall, the new atmosphere is important for our political economy. A modern republic is built on the foundation of strong institutions. They are the pillars of an enduring democracy. Although post-rebasing we are now the largest economy on the African continent, there is still a lot to be said about the Republic of South Africa’s strong even admirable post-apartheid institutions.
In addition, contemporary history has demonstrated that countries such as Singapore which have unambiguously advertised the resilience of their institutions are ahead in the race to attract long-term investments. They guarantee a healthy rate of return on capital invested and the potential investor is reassured by the quality, speed and demonstrated independence of their judicial systems. We have to learn from this.
