A prominent legal figure, Chief Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, has urged Nigerian lawyers and judges to avoid using technicalities to undermine democracy in the country.

Chief Okutepa made this statement in Abuja during the first roundtable discussion organized by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), themed “The Role of the Judiciary in Nigeria’s Democratic Sustainability.”

Chief Okutepa expressed his belief that the Supreme Court should reconsider some of its rulings based on technicalities, particularly regarding subpoenaed witnesses in election petition cases.

In his remarks, the former governor of Kano State and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, called on stakeholders in the democratic process to ensure that the judiciary remains free from external influences and interferences.

He urged politicians to support efforts aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and integrity within the judiciary to promote democratic sustainability.

The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, noted that IPAC initiated the discussion because the court is the Temple of Justice, and its members are expected to be principled individuals who administer justice fairly, regardless of the situation.

He stated that those serving in the temple of justice should be God-fearing, courageous, and fearless in their constitutional duties, aware that they judge the affairs of their fellow citizens on behalf of God, who is the ultimate Judge.

The panelists encouraged INEC, the political class, and the judiciary to work together to sustain democracy in the country.