Utomi warns judiciary will be judged by history over election role
Professor Pat Utomi criticized the judiciary's role in Nigerian elections in a post on his verified X handle on Saturday, September 24, 2026. He said history will judge how courts handle every election cycle and warned that if those entrusted with upholding justice fail to redeem public confidence, they may be remembered as contributing to the decline of the Nigerian dream.
Utomi stressed that a democracy is only as strong as its institutions, noting low voter participation and describing the current administration as a minority government in electoral mandate. He argued that courts are not just dispute-settlers but guardians of justice, constitutional order and the democratic process, and called on every institution to rise to the responsibility of protecting democracy and the Nigerian people.
Readers should consider the judiciary's recent actions in elections, reflect on whether courts are upholding democratic values, and think about how civic engagement or advocacy for judicial reform might strengthen trust in the system.