Ex-Edo Governor Warns Nigeria Drifting Toward Lawlessness Under Current Leadership

Wale Igbintade

Former Governor of Edo State and immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, has issued a scathing assessment of the country’s governance, accusing the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary of collectively undermining the rule of law and pushing Nigeria toward a state of institutional breakdown.

Osunbor made the remarks in Lagos while delivering the keynote address at the 90th birthday colloquium held in honour of veteran lawyer, Oladipo Jimilehin, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island.

The event, themed ‘The Rule of Law in Contemporary Nigeria: An In-Depth Analysis’, brought together jurists, scholars and legal practitioners to interrogate the nation’s constitutional challenges.

In a hard-hitting address, the former law professor lamented that although the rule of law has historically been a central principle in Nigeria’s governance frameworks, the country has now reached a disturbing point “where the law exists only on paper.”

According to him, the leadership of the three arms of government has not demonstrated fidelity to the concept in recent years.

He warned that the judiciary, in particular, must show sincerity and determination to protect the rule of law “not by mere rhetoric but by action and a change of attitude that all can see.”

Osunbor accused the National Assembly of abandoning its constitutional role as an independent check on executive power, describing it as a “rubber-stamp body that approves every request submitted to it by the President.”

He noted that such legislative pliancy has weakened accountability and eroded democratic safeguards, adding that the constitutional mandate placing the welfare and security of the people at the centre of governance has effectively been ignored.

One of Osunbor’s most forceful assertions came when he referenced the political crisis in Rivers State.

He criticised what he described as the “suspension” of the democratically elected Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, “under the guise of a State of Emergency,” a move he said was unconstitutional and wrongly endorsed by the National Assembly.

He described it as “the most egregious violation of the Constitution,” warning that the acceptance of such actions normalises executive impunity.

Responding to concerns about diminishing public confidence in the justice system, Osunbor urged the judiciary to reclaim its constitutional authority through courageous decisions.

He noted that the judiciary cannot preach rule of law while enabling or overlooking violations, insisting it must demonstrate integrity and independence by its actions.

He also challenged the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to spearhead reforms aimed at cleansing the justice system “no matter where the rot is located.”

Issuing a stark warning, Osunbor said the continued erosion of the rule of law could push the country toward the anarchic condition described by philosopher Thomas Hobbes, “where life becomes nasty, brutish and short.”

He insisted that Nigeria’s survival depends on ending impunity and reinstating genuine adherence to constitutional norms.

In a separate interview at the event, Research Fellow at the NIIA, Prof. Femi Olubanjo, echoed concerns about widespread impunity, insisting that the decline can only be reversed by enforcing laws already in existence.

He went further to advocate what he described as a “revolution of consciousness” among Nigerians, saying there is too much lawlessness and corruption in the country and that citizens must understand that living in a lawful society is far better than living in a lawless one.

The celebrant, Mr. Oladipo Jimilehin, expressed gratitude to attendees and used the occasion to reflect on the deepening corruption in the country.

He warned that corruption has so deeply infiltrated society that eradicating it would require collective resolve.

Jimilehin noted that while it may be difficult to completely wipe out corruption, Nigerians must be determined to confront it, saying the battle is a responsibility that rests on everyone rather than government alone.