Former presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi has decried the level of impunity Nigeria, warning that until Nigerians began to respect rule of law, the country will never thrive.
Obi, who spoke on Tuesday at the 5th memorial lecture of Late Justice Anthony Aniagolu held at the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, regretted the level of failure of executives and judiciary to respect rule of law.
The former Anambra State Governor, appealed to Nigerians to support him to dismantle the current rascality that are threatening the existence of the country to ensure rule of law and build a better future for all.
Speaking on the topic, “The judiciary and the future of Nigeria” Obi said that the future of Nigeria has been compromised because there was no respect for rule of law.
He said, “the rule of law fosters development through strengthening the voices of individuals and communities, by providing access to justice, ensuring due process and establishing remedies for the violation of rights.
“It’s very difficult for businesses to survive and exist in Nigeria because of insecurity and no respect for rule of law. We can not talk of development when both international and local investors can not have an enabling environment to do business.
“We must have a fair, strong and independent judiciary for rule of law to take it’s preeminent course.
Nigeria dwindles today because there was no respect for rule of law. No business will thrive and no investor will like to invest because you can not challenge the government when anything goes wrong and if you eventually go to court, you can not get fair judgement,” he said.
Speaking in his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Prof. Christian Anieke said that Nigeria need people like Justice Aniagolu in the justice sector to save the democracy.
He explained that Obi was chosen to deliver the lecture because of the importance of the theme of this year’s memorial lecture.
“We are celebrating the uncorruptible judge and fair judge, late justice Aniagolu. we are celebrating him because of his good work in supreme Court. Nigeria needs uncorrupt judges to deliver the country,” he said.
