Nigerians always ready to boot out bad leaders, CJN warns

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Muhammad, on Monday, harped on the imperativeness of good governance, warning the nation’s leaders that the majority of Nigerians will always have their way and boot out those leaders who offer bad governance.

In his remark at the first Justice Pius Olayiwola Aderemi Lecture series, held at the Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, he noted that Nigerians continued to get more sophisticated in their voting decisions.

Muhammad, represented by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola of the Supreme Court, said good governance was shown in adherence to the rule of law, transparency, responsiveness to their real needs of the people, equity and inclusiveness, efficiency, accountability and participation.

Mentioning that former Premiers of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola were the epitome of good governance, he noted that only governments that provided good governance had a chance of being returned at the polls.

He particularly decried the failure of the government to make people the driver of their policies, emphasizing the need for leaders of government to always get feedback from the people.

“If a government provides good governance, that government has a chance of coming back., if not, it will be booted out. Only good governance guarantees the return of government because the people will always have their way,” Muhammad stated.

Speaking in the same vein, former Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, Professor Micheal Omolewa stated that what exemplified good governance were the application of rule of law and strict adherence to the constitution of the land, socio-economic development of the state through the promotion of market for exports, investment and planned development of the country.

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He added that indicators of good governance included trust of the people, fairness and social justice, fiscal discipline, maintenance of law and order, guarantee of security of life and property for all, peace and peaceful co-existence, and commitment to the welfare of all peoples.

Omolewa enjoined leaders to shun all forms of hypocrisy, sectionalism, exploitation of differences warning that they constitute a dangerous virus for good governance like the absence of unity among the people and lack of social justice for the people.

Speaking on “Governance and Good Governance: The Role of the Government”, he added that the nation would experience grave consequences if the leaders continued to avoid the path of good governance through their greed, selfishness, pride, arrogance.

Omolewa stressed the need for leaders of government to learn to respect the rule of law, be fair, equitable and sensitive and consciously learn to sustain the fragile trust among the different peoples and ethnic groups in the country.

“They must work together to prevent the abortion of democratic governance and wastage of life and opportunities for governance and provision of the required goods and services to the people of the country,” Omolewa added.

Attendees at the event included Governor Seyi Makinde represented by his deputy, Mr Rauf Olaniyan; former governor of Old Oyo state, Dr Omololu Olunloyo; Chief Judge of Oyo state, Justice Munta Ladipo; Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan, Most Reverend Gabriel Abegunrin; Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan branch, Dr John Akintayo; deputy speaker, Oyo state House of Assembly, Honourable Abiodun Fadeyi; members of the late Aderemi family led by its eldest son, Mr Aderemi Kunle; various legal practitioners.

Makinde decried that the nation was configured to fail due to the faulty foundation laid by the nation’s leaders of the first republic.

Leading the barrage of glowing tributes for the late Aderemi was the chief judge, Ladipo who described Aderemi as a legal colossus, jurist of great achievements, an advocate of exceptional skill, an expert in giving sound judgment, and one whose judgement remained a reference point in the enforcement of rights.

Also speaking, Olunloyo noted that the late Aderemi was always motivated by excellence and incorruptibility.

Ibadan NBA Chairman also lauded the late Aderemi as a bar man per excellence, who never detached from the bar.