Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has called on Nigerian politicians to avoid politicising judicial decisions, arguing that confidence in the judiciary remains essential for the country’s democratic system. Uba Sani judiciary remarks came during an interview with ARISE News, where the governor addressed the controversy surrounding the recent Federal High Court ruling affecting the registration status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Sani said political leaders should maintain the same level of respect for the judiciary regardless of whether court judgments favour or oppose their political interests. According to him, selective acceptance of judicial rulings weakens public confidence in democratic institutions.
“For some of us that believe in democracy, rule of law, judiciary, we believe we have to be very careful. Politicizing every judicial issue is not healthy for us,” he said. The governor stressed that democracies depend on strong institutions and that the judiciary should not become a target of political criticism whenever decisions prove unpopular.
Highlighting what he described as an important example, Sani recalled that the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had previously secured his governorship mandate through a landmark court judgment. He argued that politicians who had benefited from judicial pronouncements in the past should equally respect the courts when rulings do not favour them.
“Because many actors that are involved, they were also beneficiaries of some judicial decisions in this country. Whether the leader of NDC himself, I mean the presidential candidate, Peter Obi, remember he was also someone that benefited from a very strong judicial pronouncement when he was governor.” Sani added that politicians often praise the judiciary after favourable judgments but become critical whenever decisions go against their interests.
The governor acknowledged that no judicial system is flawless but insisted that democrats must continue to place their trust in the courts. He said imperfections exist in judicial systems around the world, yet confidence in legal institutions remains necessary for democratic governance. According to him, maintaining faith in the judiciary is preferable to undermining institutions that safeguard the rule of law.
Addressing allegations that the All Progressives Congress or President Bola Tinubu’s administration was responsible for the internal challenges facing opposition parties, Sani rejected the claims. He questioned the evidence supporting such accusations, arguing that opposition parties were dealing primarily with internal organisational weaknesses.
According to the governor, many of the disputes stem from disagreements over presidential ambitions, leadership arrangements and power-sharing rather than external interference. Sani maintained that political organisations established mainly as election platforms, instead of being built around shared ideology and long-term structures, would continue to face internal divisions.
The Uba Sani judiciary remarks come amid ongoing legal disputes involving opposition political parties as preparations continue for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
