In a candid interview with Mic On Podcast, human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi voiced strong criticisms of Nigeria’s judiciary and electoral system.
He said Labour Party Presidetial candidate, Peter Obi won the 2023 presidential election, but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary unlawfully manipulated the results, handing victory to Bola Tinubu.
Farotimi denounced the corruption within the judiciary, specifically targeting the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola.
He accused the Chief Justice of abusing his position by appointing family members to key judicial positions, including his son as a judge of the Federal High Court and his daughter-in-law as a judge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He also mentioned that Ariwoola’s brother was made an Auditor in the Nigerian Judicial Council. “That’s egregious abuse of the judicial code of conduct,” Farotimi declared.
Farotimi, who left legal practice in 2018, expressed his disillusionment with the legal profession, stating that the problems within the system did not surprise him. “I wasn’t coming to practice to discover that the legal system is horrible,” he said, noting that he has since found alternative ways to live and earn a living outside the legal field.
The activist also boldly claimed that Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate, did not lose the 2023 presidential election. “He won, but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary performed their magic,” Farotimi remarked, implying widespread electoral malpractice.
Looking ahead to 2027, Farotimi stressed that he would not participate in the elections unless significant reforms are implemented in Nigeria’s electoral system. He demanded that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results from polling units become mandatory, otherwise, he sees no point in engaging with the process.
Farotimi expressed his complete lack of faith in the current administration under President Bola Tinubu. “I had no expectation of anything good from this government,” he said. “I was not under any illusion whatsoever about this government.”
