Legal practitioner Taiwo Ojumu has faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo for recently criticizing the Nigerian judiciary, arguing that the ex-leader has “no moral standing” to make such remarks given how his own administration allegedly undermined the courts between 1999 and 2007.
Speaking in an interview with News Central TV, Ojumu admitted that, like every institution, the judiciary has its share of corrupt officials. However, he emphasized that many upright judges still deliver uncompromised justice in Nigeria.
While acknowledging that Obasanjo’s concerns about corruption in the judiciary are partly valid, Ojumu stressed that the former president’s record showed instances where his government ignored court rulings unfavorable to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, Obasanjo’s actions during his eight-year rule weakened public confidence in the judiciary, making his latest criticism appear hypocritical.
“We still have very upright judges who will not compromise justice. With all due respect to Baba Obasanjo, I feel it’s time for him to take a break from making certain statements,” Ojumu said.
He added that it would be wrong to brand the entire judiciary as corrupt, insisting that the misconduct of a few should not overshadow the integrity of many others who remain committed to justice.
Ojumu concluded by recalling how Obasanjo’s tenure in the Fourth Republic was marked by political decisions that eroded judicial independence:
“We remember very well what happened between 1999 and 2007. His government undermined the judiciary, and Nigerians cannot forget that easily.”
