Human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has criticised the growing use of courts by politicians, alleging that many legal actions are now aimed at creating political confusion rather than seeking justice.
Odinkalu made the remarks while reacting to ongoing political disputes and litigations in Nigeria, warning that the judiciary is increasingly being turned into a tool for political advantage.
“In Nigeria today, the law court is fast becoming a convenient tool in the hands of desperate politicians who are ever out to secure party political advantage in contest for power, however unjust,” he stated.
According to him, many politicians now approach the courts not to resolve disputes fairly but to delay processes, weaken rivals, and manufacture legitimacy through judicial pronouncements.
“When Nigerian politicians go to court these days, they do not file suits to seek justice. They file them to create confusion, buy time, destabilise opponents, and manufacture legitimacy through judicial pronouncement rather than popular mandate,” Odinkalu added.
The legal scholar described the trend as “the judicial route to anarchy,” echoing arguments reportedly advanced by commentator Olusegun Adeniyi in a recent article.
His comments come amid a wave of court cases involving leadership disputes, party structures, and political defections across several parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political analysts say the increasing reliance on litigation in political contests reflects deeper tensions within Nigeria’s democratic system, where judicial outcomes often shape party leadership and electoral participation.
Odinkalu’s remarks have since sparked debate online, with some Nigerians agreeing that the courts are being over-politicised, while others argue that litigation remains a legitimate democratic avenue for resolving political disputes…Read_More…