Dr Gabriel Nwambu, the Director-General, Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA), has tasked the Judiciary on speedy dispensation of justice on political part affairs.
In a statement on Wednesday, Nwambu also urged the Judiciary to guard against frivolous court orders that may threaten democratic processes.
He said that Nigeria stood at a precipice following decades of internal conflicts such as insurgency, banditry and terrorism.
According to him, it had fractured the social contract, while the very foundation of political system which is a vibrant opposition, is crumbling.
The DG said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is the nation’s major opposition force, and it was being systematically dismantled by an internal rot allegedly exacerbated by the judicial system.
According to him, the much-lauded principle that states that “the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man” was facing its most profound test.
“The current spate of internal party litigation, characterised by conflicting and frankly frivolous court orders has created a climate of chaos, uncertainty, and perpetual instability within the PDP.
“This is not merely an internal party problem; it is a clear and present danger to Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
Nwambu alleged that the unprecedented wave of defections of governors and legislators from the PDP, is a direct consequence of the internal chaos fuelled by the court system.
The DG urged the judiciary to expedite hearing on political party disputes saying that the protracted nature of political litigation allowed for chaos to persist to the benefit of those seeking to destroy the opposition from within.
” The judiciary must adopt specialised procedures for the swift and conclusive determination of intra-party disputes to ensure that a political party’s lifespan is not wholly consumed by litigation.
“Nigeria’s security and stability are inherently linked to the health of its democracy; the nation is currently besieged by terrorism and insecurity, a threat exacerbated when citizens lose faith in democratic institutions.
“The Judiciary, the most sacred institution of justice, has the power to either save or sentence our democracy.
“We implore the Judiciary to take bold, disciplinary action and restore the integrity of judicial process which is the most crucial step in restoring the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.
