By Parrot Newspaper 
Nigeria’s Judiciary is Disgusting – Peter Obi
By Ricky Awodi • March 2, 2025
Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described Nigeria’s judiciary as “disgusting and uninspiring,” decrying recent court decisions that could destabilize governance and deprive citizens of essential services.
In a strongly worded statement on his X handle on Sunday, Mr. Obi criticized all three arms of government—the executive, legislature, and judiciary—for what he called a display of recklessness and irresponsibility.
> “What is coming out of the three arms of government—the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary—is disgusting and uninspiring,” Obi stated.
He pointed to recent judicial pronouncements in Rivers State as an example of how the courts are threatening democracy. He also criticized the executive for using “negative power” in Osun State and condemned the legislature for what he described as an “embarrassing scandal.”
Judiciary Under Fire
Mr. Obi’s frustration with the judiciary comes after the Supreme Court delivered two of three judgments on Friday that favored political loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, who have been at odds with Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The apex court, however, held back on ruling on a third matter that could have strengthened Mr. Fubara’s position, effectively leaving him politically vulnerable.
This, Obi argues, reflects a pattern of judicial rulings that seem to be guided by political interests rather than justice.
> “The reckless Judiciary pronouncement on Rivers State that is capable of threatening democracy…” he stated, adding that urgent steps must be taken to restore stability.
The former governor has been a vocal critic of the Nigerian judiciary. In 2024, he accused the courts of delivering justice in favor of “the highest bidders,” lamenting that the judicial process had been commodified.
Osun Crisis and Executive Interference
Obi also pointed to the crisis in Osun State, where the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, advised against conducting local government elections. Despite a ruling by Justice A.A. Aderibigbe of the Osun State High Court in Ilesa ordering the polls to proceed, Fagbemi cited a February 2025 Court of Appeal ruling in Akure that nullified an earlier Federal High Court judgment in Osogbo.
The advice effectively halted the election, fueling tensions between Governor Ademola Adeleke of the PDP and his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola of the APC. Obi described this intervention as an example of “negative power” being exercised by the executive at the expense of democratic processes.
Call for Stability
Obi called on leaders in all three arms of government to desist from undue interference in state affairs and take urgent steps to stabilize the country’s democratic framework. He warned against politicians defecting to parties where they believe they can manipulate the system to secure power.
With Nigeria’s political climate growing increasingly tense, Obi’s remarks add to the mounting criticism of a judicial system that many believe has been compromised by political influence. Whether his warnings will lead to any meaningful reform remains to be seen.