CJN Kekere-Ekun: Her First Major Test Is Coming with the Rivers State Election on October 5, 2024!, by John Egbeazien Oshodi

CJN Kekere-Ekun: How Much Longer Can This Judicial Madness Continue? It’s Time to Make an Example of Judges Who Defy Law and Logic—The Governor Will Disgrace You All. CJN, It’s Time to Take a Stand Before the October 5, 2024, Rivers State Local Government Election! The Law and Constitution Are on His Side—Justice Peter Lifu’s Brazen Overreach in Rivers State Must Be Addressed!

How much longer will we, as a nation, endure this judicial insanity? The judiciary, once seen as the bedrock of integrity and fairness, has been overtaken by political puppetry. These judges, many of whom have betrayed the sacred trust of their positions, now play the role of political brokers, pandering to corrupt politicians who see the courts not as arbiters of justice, but as tools for their manipulative ambitions. This is madness, and Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun, the time has come for decisive, merciless action: Enough is enough!

CJN, this is your moment of reckoning. You’ve promised that no one—not even those at the top—will be allowed to treat court judgments with disdain. You’ve cautioned about the chaos that comes with such disobedience. Well, the time for soft words is over. The judiciary is under siege, and you must act now! The rotting core of this institution is visible for all to see. These political judges, emboldened by bribes and protection, believe they are untouchable, thinking they can issue nonsensical rulings and escape without consequence. CJN, crush this insanity before it crushes what’s left of judicial credibility.

Let’s face the brutal truth, CJN Kekere-Ekun: you have thrived within this deeply flawed system. As you ascended through the ranks, you stood witness to the judiciary’s steady decay. The rampant corruption, staggering inefficiency, and egregious failures to uphold the rule of law that now suffocate our judiciary didn’t appear overnight—they festered over years, and you’ve been part of this institutional decline. While you may not have designed this rot, you have been entrenched within it long enough to understand its insidious depths. You’ve shared the bench with judges who trample on justice, manipulate rulings, and sell verdicts to the highest bidders. Now, as the head of the judiciary, the burden of leadership falls squarely on your shoulders. It is your moment to confront this rot with unyielding courage and relentless resolve. At your age and stage, fear should not be a consideration; embrace the truth and speak it boldly. Remember, not even the president can extinguish the truth forever.

Let’s not mince words. Justice Peter Lifu’s brazen overreach in Rivers State isn’t just another case of judge shopping—it’s a declaration of war on judicial integrity. What business does a federal judge in Abuja have meddling in local elections in Rivers State? This is judicial anarchy! Political manipulation masquerading as justice. A sham meant to serve the interests of some power-hungry politician, not the people.

Psychologically, we are witnessing a takeover of the judiciary’s conscience. This isn’t just about corruption—it’s about the soul of the judiciary being sold to the highest bidder. These judges, once guardians of fairness, have become political instruments, their robes tainted by the filth of bribery and influence. Justice Lifu is the latest symptom of a system on the verge of collapse—a judiciary that has become so twisted by external forces that it no longer knows which way is up.

The audacity! Justice Lifu trampled on federalism, issuing a ruling that directly contradicts a state court decision in Rivers State. It’s a chaotic, disgraceful spectacle that makes a mockery of our judicial system. Is this the new normal? Judges contradicting each other in a free-for-all of power grabs? Governor SiminalayiFubara has taken a stand, refusing to be bullied by Lifu’s judicial charade. The local elections will go on, despite the federal court’s farcical order. Fubara’s stance is more than defiance—it’s a direct challenge to the entire rotten judicial structure that has allowed such interference to fester.

The state court has firmly established the legal framework for the impending election, demanding an uncompromising commitment to security: “The Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Nigerian Army, and all other security agencies and paramilitary organizations are hereby ordered to provide adequate security and ensure the maintenance of peace, law, and order during and after the election.” Yet, in a jaw-dropping display of judicial lunacy, Justice Peter Lifu from Abuja has had the audacity to declare that authorities must not cover the election. What kind of sickness is this, CJN Kekere-Ekun? This outrageous defiance not only contradicts the clear directive from the state court but also erodes the very foundation of our democracy. This isn’t just a legal misstep; it’s a catastrophic failure of the judiciary that has plunged us into chaos. As we hurtle toward the critical October 5, 2024, Rivers State local government election, citizens are left grappling with a twisted reality where the rule of law is openly mocked. Who will stand for justice when judges are more concerned with political games than their sacred duty? The audacity of this interference is not merely absurd; it is a blatant assault on the principles that govern us, threatening to plunge our democracy into darkness.

Where is the outrage? Where is the outcry from legal scholars, civil society, and the judiciary itself? CJN Kekere-Ekun, where is your voice? This is your moment to lead or fade into irrelevance. The judiciary is on a precipice. The disease of judicial politicization is spreading. If you don’t act now, these judges will continue to defy common sense, jurisdictional boundaries, and the very principles of justice. They believe they are untouchable because politicians protect them, emboldened by a web of influence that shields them from accountability. But this cannot continue.

CJN, the time for action is now. Enough of these half-hearted warnings. Enough repeated pleas for judges to stay out of political squabbles. These judges do not fear words—they fear consequences. They must be made to feel the full weight of the law they so casually abuse. Justice Lifu and his ilk need to be made examples of, publicly and decisively. Strip them of their robes, prosecute them for misconduct, and ensure they never again hold the power to destroy lives and democracy with their reckless decisions.

Make no mistake: Governor Fubara’s defiance is a hard-fought victory for every Nigerian who still believes in the rule of law. It’s a resounding triumph for the people of Rivers State, who refuse to be mere pawns in the political power struggles that have plagued this nation for too long. But let’s be clear—this battle is far from over. The judiciary must undergo a thorough cleansing of the political parasites that have infested it. Judges like Lifu must be uprooted, exposed as the opportunists they are, and face unrelenting punishment for their betrayals. The message must resonate loudly: the judiciary is not a playground for political games, and any judge who dares to violate its sanctity will be met with swift and decisive consequences. Even as Nigeria’s leaders may think they wield more power than the law, even President Tinubu must understand that the law and the Constitution supersede all these petty political maneuvers. This madness must stop now! All this nonsense is detrimental to him both nationally and globally, especially when one of his own cabinet members is embroiled in a conflict against Rivers State. His refusal to act decisively will only lead to further disgrace and inevitable loss in the end. It’s time to make the job of the CJN easier by supporting a judiciary that upholds justice, rather than complicating it with political interference.

CJN Kekere-Ekun, this is your test. The judiciary is in crisis, and the nation is watching. Will you be the Chief Justice who finally restores order and saves the judiciary from itself? Or will you be remembered as yet another CJN who stood by while the rot deepened and justice died? Nigerians are watching, waiting to see if you will rise to the challenge or be consumed by the very madness you’ve sworn to fight.

The judiciary’s integrity is at stake, and with it, the very fabric of our democracy. The time to act is now. If you fail to make an example of judges like Lifu, this judicial chaos will continue, tearing apart the courts and the trust of the people. Take a stand, CJN Kekere-Ekun, or watch as the judiciary—and the nation—unravels.

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi, born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, is an American-based police and prison scientist, forensic psychologist, public policy psychologist, and legal psychologist. He’s a government advisor on forensic-clinical psychological services in the USA and the founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation for Psychological Health. With a significant role in introducing forensic psychology to Nigeria through N.U.C. and Nasarawa State University, he’s also a former Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association. He’s taught at esteemed institutions like Florida Memorial University, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University, and more, and is currently an online faculty member at Weldios University, Nexus International University, and Walden University.