A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and lead counsel to the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunmbi, has urged the Federal Government to uphold the rule of law and avoid actions that could undermine democratic institutions in the pursuit of political advantage.
Adetunmbi made the call on Wednesday during an appearance on Frontline, a public affairs programme aired on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State.
His remarks came against the backdrop of ongoing legal proceedings arising from a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of several political parties.
The senior lawyer warned against allowing political considerations to supersede legal processes, stressing that respect for the rule of law remained essential to sustaining democracy.
“The Federal Government should not be excessively concerned about retaining power at all costs. The law should be allowed to take its course,” he said.
His comments followed Tuesday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, which granted a stay of execution on the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The judgment had directed the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, Accord Party and three other political parties.
Speaking on the appellate court’s decision, Adetunmbi said the Accord Party would continue to pursue its case through lawful channels.
He noted that the party had approached the court to challenge the decision and expressed satisfaction that the appellate court suspended the implementation of the judgment pending the determination of the substantive appeal scheduled for hearing on June 25.
The legal practitioner also dismissed suggestions that the Independent National Electoral Commission had taken sides in the dispute.
According to him, the electoral body was acting in line with legal provisions rather than supporting any political organisation.
Adetunmbi maintained that the authority to deregister political parties is vested in INEC by law, adding that because the matter remains before the court, extensive public commentary should be approached with caution.
The SAN further defended the judiciary, saying the actions of a few judicial officers should not be used to discredit the entire system.
He argued that many judges across the various levels of the judiciary continue to discharge their responsibilities with integrity and professionalism despite occasional allegations of misconduct.
Adetunmbi, however, expressed concern over the increasing number of politically related cases before the courts, warning that such matters were placing additional pressure on an already burdened justice system.
He noted that the growing volume of election and political disputes often diverted attention from criminal and civil cases, some of which involve individuals awaiting trial or the resolution of their matters.
The senior lawyer also cautioned against equating allegations of conflicting judgments with deliberate disobedience of superior court rulings, explaining that many complaints against judges stem from differing interpretations of legal precedents.
He identified inadequate infrastructure and administrative challenges as some of the obstacles confronting the judiciary, noting that conditions in some court facilities remained far from ideal.
Adetunmbi added that the National Judicial Council had established mechanisms for monitoring the conduct of judicial officers through petitions, performance assessments and disciplinary procedures aimed at preserving accountability within the system.
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