Courts won’t be used to truncate democracy, says CJN

Disgruntled politicians seeking to truncate the nation’s democracy, using the courts, may be disappointed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, yesterday vowed that the judiciary will not yield to their whims.

Speaking in Abuja at the swearing-in of Justice Ishaq Bello as the Acting Chief Judge (CJ) of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Mohammed said the leadership of the judiciary was aware of plans by some “unpatriotic citizens” to use the courts to stall the electoral process.

Justice Bello replaces Justice Ibrahim Bukar, who retired yesterday upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.

Justice Mohammed warned judges not to yield themselves as tools to desperate politicians.