Our Reporter, Abuja
Former Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah, has accused some judges of selling themselves cheap to politicians and blamed Nigeria’s judiciary and legislature for weakening their own independence.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Attah said: “You talk about these institutions having been weakened. Who weakened them? They weakened themselves by their actions.”
The elder statesman also faulted the judiciary for what he described as inconsistent rulings that erode public trust, citing the Supreme Court’s judgment on the boundary dispute between Akwa Ibom and the Federal Government as an example.
He argued that Nigeria’s political crisis is rooted in its flawed constitutional framework, stressing that the 1999 Constitution was imposed by the military rather than agreed upon by Nigerians.
“Nigerians didn’t make the present constitution. It was literally dictated by the military. Unless and until Nigerians come together and agree on the terms and conditions of staying together, there will be no peace,“ he said.
Attah warned that governors have strayed from their constitutional duty to serve the people, claiming they now act under political agreements instead of popular mandate.
On subsidy removal, he faulted the unilateral approach of the federal Government.
“Everybody says it was right to remove subsidy but wrong the way it was done. What is wrong is the coalition that made it possible for anybody to act unilaterally.”
Commenting on the disputed 76 oil wells between Akwa Ibom and Cross River, the former governor maintained that they rightly belong to Akwa Ibom.
“Cross River is not a littoral state. Being on a river does not make it a littoral state. If oil wells fall within your boundaries, they are yours; if not, they don’t belong to you. Full stop,” he declared.
