The Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Nsukka, Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, has said that judges in Nigerian courts now stand on the mandate of President Bola Tinubu rather than delivering justice.
In a video shared on X by legal scholar and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, the bishop stated that if anyone goes to court, the judges sing the song On your mandate we shall stand.
Onah described Tinubu as an absolute monarch and emperor controlled by nobody. He questioned why officials chosen by the people now operate on the president mandate.
The bishop added that the National Assembly joins in the same stance while governors and local government chairmen act as errand boys for the president.
He warned that the 2027 general election will not be free or fair because the signs appear everywhere.
Odinkalu, who shared the video on his X account, highlighted the bishop’s statement, drawing attention to the relationship between the judiciary and political power.
The statement has raised questions about public confidence in the courts and whether judges can remain impartial when handling politically sensitive disputes.
The phrase “On Your Mandate We Shall Stand” has become associated with political loyalty, making the bishop’s reference to it in connection with judges particularly striking.
