The National Legal Adviser of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Governor of Edo State, Prof Oserheimen Osunbor, has said that the Rule of Law no longer has a place in Nigeria’s democracy, but exists merely on paper.

Osunbor a Professor of Law and a former Chairman. Nigerian Law Reform Comission, made this as- sertion at a one-day Colloquium entitled :The Rule of Law In Contemporary Nigeria: An Indepth Analysis in commemoration of the 90th birthday anniversary of Chief (Barr.) Oladipo Jimilehin, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Lagos.

Osunbor recalled that even under the military, the rule of law was respected and upheld even when doing so challenged the draconian nature of military dictatorships. He lamented that under the current democratic dispensation the political elite pay lip service to the rule of law, pretending to respect it, while the leadership of the three arms of government have not demonstrated fidelity to the concept.

“This is a marked departure from the rule of law in Nigeria as we used to know it. I will now proceed to cite well publicised instances where each arm of government has desecrated the rule of law, exhibiting flagrant disregard that has assumed a sickening and disturbing dimension.

The Legislature Nigerians are familiar with several instances in the past when the National Assembly asserted its independence from the executive and serving as a check on the executive.

“For instance, under President Olusegun Obasanjo, the National Assembly asserted its right to freely elect their presiding officers – The Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. This also happened with the election of Senate President Bukola Saraki under President Muhammadu Buhari.

When President Obasanjo vetoed the NDDC Bill 2000 and the Electoral Bill 2002, the National Assembly overrode the vetoes. Senate declined to confirm some ministerial appointments made by Obasanjo in the exercise of its powers under the Constitution.