Vol. 2 No. 2

A critique of the role of the judiciary in deepening democracy and the Rule of Law in Nigeria adjudicating on political matters

P.E Idahosa esq.

Abstract
The age-long principle of “separation of powers” allocates the governmental functions of law-making, enforcement/execution and interpretation respectively to the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary as organs of the state. This age-long doctrine as found in very many legal systems equally operates in Nigeria virtue of sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). The gravamen of this paper is that while carrying out its interpretative and adjudicatory functions, the Nigerian judiciary has helped in no small measure to deepen and consolidate democracy and the rule of law. This ⁵paper therefore examines such instances where the judiciary has saved Nigeria’s democracy and the rule from collapse. It concludes suggesting and recommending some solutions to the inadequacies of the Nigerian judiciary.

Click here to download full article

You may also like...