Atedo Peterside, founder of the ANAP Foundation and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, has called for comprehensive reforms in the Supreme Court. The seasoned investment banker said that only through a thorough reform of the apex court can equity and justice be seen to be demonstrated in a country where some geopolitical zones are perceived to be sidelined in the composition of the Supreme Court bench.
Peterside’s concerns were raised following the lack of representation of the South East and North Central in the bench of the judges at the Supreme Court flagged by Justice Dattijo Muhammad.
The ANAP founder aired his frustration on the microblogging application X, formerly called Twitter.
He tweeted, “Justice Dattijo Muhammad should be commended for speaking out against the rot in the Judiciary that he is exiting. Let us demand reforms by calling for equity & justice in the Supreme Court; the SE & NC Zones deserve immediate representation at the Supreme Court. Enough is Enough.”
His frustration came to the forefront following Justice Dattijo Muhammed’s lamentation about the absence of judges from the Igbo-speaking regions on the Supreme Court bench.
The plea for inclusivity gained momentum after a seven-judge panel at the apex court confirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s electoral victory.
Peterside’s demands were not left unanswered, with some rallying behind his call for inclusivity.
However, criticism emerged regarding the timing of the appeal, with some rebuking the retiring Justice for not addressing this ethnic exclusion of the Igbo community earlier.
PJO tweeted, “Why did he have to wait till he is retiring to speak out? For me this is medicine after death.” Of which Peterside replied, “The best time to have planted a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time to plant a tree (if you still have not planted it) is today. Tis never too late to tell the truth. If nothing else, telling the truth might set you free.”