"It’s totally unacceptable": Obasanjo Faults Sacking of Governors, Gives Reason

• Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said three to five judges should not overturn decisions made by millions of voters during an election
• Obasanjo said the “cathedral pronouncements” made by the judges of the appellate court are “totally unacceptable.”
• He suggested that Nigerians should find a way to handle the powers vested in the hands of a few judges

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5-year-experience covering metro and government policy

Abeokuta, Ogun state - Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reacted to the sack of some state governors by the Court of Appeal.

Obasanjo said three to five judges should not overturn decisions made by millions of voters during an election, Daily Trust reported.

He stated this while speaking at the high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

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Obasanjo faulted what he labelled “cathedral pronouncements” by the judges, stating that it’s “totally unacceptable.”

“I believe whatever form of democracy we have or whatever system of government we have, three or four men in the judiciary should not be able to overturn the decisions of millions that have voted. Now, we have to find a way to handle that. I don’t know what the way will be but, for me, I think it’s totally unacceptable that millions (of votes), maybe 10m on one side, maybe 9million on the other side. Then, you have five people sitting down, three of them agree, and two disagree. And you come up and make cathedral pronouncements that cannot be changed, I believe that should not be accepted."

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Atiku kicks as court of appeal sacks 2 PDP governors

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Atiku accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of snatching the mandates of the opposition parties in the country.

The former vice president accused the ruling party of killing the opposition party in the country, adding that the beauty of democracy is the existence of "plurality".

Atiku alleged that the APC has narrowed the scope of engagement of the opposition either through rigging or the court.

Obasanjo reveals why democracy is not working in Africa

Obasanjo explained why Western democracy is not working as a system of government in the continent of Africa.

He said democracy is not working in Africa because it was “forced” on the continent.

The former Nigerian leader added that African countries have no input in the “definition and design” of Western democracy and, hence, see no reason for practising the system of government.

Source: Legit.ng