Politicians Have Brought Rot Into The Supreme Court – Clarke SAN

Robert Clarke (SAN) has lamented over the rate of interference
in Nigeria’s judiciary by politicians, thereby hindering the
delivery of good governance.

The Senior Advocate who disclosed this in an interview on
Channels Television’s Sunday Politics called for a reform of
Nigeria’s judiciary and the constitution which he faulted for
allowing “so much money to filter into the system of politics.”

“I stand by my words and I have no regret to have said that
there is a rot in the Supreme Court. I did not say that the Supreme
Court judges were rotten. I said politicians have brought rot into
the Supreme Court.

“We are all Nigerians we have seen how this country has been
managed in the past 20-30 years, it gives no hope to you and I.

“Since politics came in 20 years ago, the judiciary has not been
the same, politics has not been the same. The politics of the
first, second Republic are quite different from the politics
(practiced) in these past 20 years.

“This is a rotten constitution that allows so much money to
filter into the system of politics,” he lamented.

Clarke also gave his opinion on the Supreme Court verdict on the
Osun State election

According to him, the Supreme court’s verdict is ‘deadly
correct’ in the interest of fairness and justice.

“The judgement of the Supreme Court came as a surprise to some
elements of the society in Osun State and also did not come as a
surprise to many people who are learned in the law.

“The judgement was by a majority of five to two. The five judges
giving judgement to the APC decided that due to the fact that the
lead man who wrote the judgement in the tribunal never participated
on the very valid day that certain decisions were taken and which
he now read as judgement.

“The other two claimed that the malpractice surrounding the
re-run itself was not necessary and that INEC was really wrong to
have conducted that re-run.

“In the interest of justice and fair-haring, the Supreme Court
was deadly correct.”

Clarke added that although Supreme court judges are very busy,
cross-examination is vital and that the judge should not simply
have written the judgement and in the interest of justice.

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