Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and the convener of the Take-It-Back movement, Omoyele Sowore, have condemned the alleged corruption in the Nigerian judiciary.
In a statement on X on Sunday titled ‘My encounter with Justice Mabel Segun-Bello in Abuja,’ Sowore alleged that becoming a judge in Nigeria is not based on merit; rather, one must have “connections.”
He mentioned that those aspiring to become judges in Nigeria must have the backing of a political party, godfather or godmother.
Quoting Justice Mabel Segun-Bello, Sowore mentioned that she said, “You need a political party to become a judge.”
“A Federal High Court judge, Justice Mabel Segun-Bello, has revealed that to attain the position of a federal judge in Nigeria, one must either have the backing of the presidency or a political party,” Sowore said.
Speaking on his encounter with the judge who he claims does the bidding of the ruling All Progressive Party, APC, Sowore said, “I’ve had an encounter with her before when she was Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja; she was the Magistrate saddled with trying 5 of us @AyowoleSanyaolu @dadenola, myself, and two others for minor bailable offences of ‘conduct likely’ to breach public peace.
“The FCT Police had brutally confronted us in the early mornings of January 2021 during a peaceful #CrossoverWithProtest in the Gudu area of Abuja.
“It was the day a police officer, CSP Abdukabir, broke my nose. After four days in detention at the notorious Nigeria Police Abbatoir detention centre in the Apo area of Abuja, we were brought before her.
“She worked under the influence to keep us in jail instead of granting us bail.
“On one occasion, she sent us to Kuje prison, where the prison authorities there sent us to the death row cell overnight, pretending they were saving us from #COVID19.
“In all, we spent over 11 days in jail before she reluctantly granted us bail with some ridiculously laced conditions including that I be restricted to Abuja even though I was already restricted to Abuja for two years at that point.
“When she granted us bail, one of the lawyers asked that we meet with her in her chambers; when we did meet with her, she was surprised at the backlash she received from all over due to her conduct in the case.
“However, during her next adjourned date, we came to her court with a “herbalist.” She never heard the case ever again.
“Next, I heard she was promoted to become a Federal High Court judge.”
He added that “what she is saying here about the influence of political parties, godfathers, and godmothers in getting judgeship positions tells a lot about why our justice system in Nigeria is ruined forever.
“To become a judge in the Nigerian judiciary, you must have connections (not merits), and above all, you must do whatever they require of you, including doing the innocent citizens of Nigeria dirty.”
