Mr Adedotun Adetunji , Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch, on Monday said Nigeria still had more grounds to cover to deepen the rule of law in its democracy.
“It is wonderful that much is being done through policy authorisation in the area of quick dispensation of justice.
“And the consciousness is high too, inching progressively to entrench the rule of law; but we still have much grounds to cover,’’ he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to him, it is ideal that the rule of law- which is a natural legal principle – should govern any nation as opposed to governing by arbitrary decisions.
On quick dispensation of justice, Adetunji urged both the federal and state governments to ensure that citizens got justice in a short time,and that court judgments were respected.
“The rule of law, however, is not yet deepened and entrenched as expected, despite the 16 years of our democratic experience.
“This legal principle further remains a mirage to us when a court case drags unusually for long.
“Delay to dispense justice to an accused or to a complainant defeats the aim of the rule of law,’’ he said.
He said it was improper and a bad precedence for lawyers to deploy all sorts of technicalities to delay ruling on a case before the court.
“Transfer of judges on political grounds will not aid quick justice delivery and will ultimately undermine the rule of law,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the rule of law is a legal maxim which presupposes that every person is subject to the constitution of the land and must be accountable, based on the precept of the law.
