The-judge-kavanaugh-scandal-and-the-example-of-the-us-senate-in-seperating-politics-from-the-judiciary-something-the-nigerian-national-assembly-should-learn-from
September 7, 2020 | News
THE JUDGE KAVANAUGH SCANDAL AND THE EXAMPLE OF THE US SENATE IN SEPERATING POLITICS FROM THE JUDICIARY – SOMETHING THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD LEARN FROM
With over repeated interruptions by protesters in the gallery of the US Senate recently voted 50 to 48 to confirm Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh as the next US Supreme Court Justice, we cannot help but applaud the US Senate on how it was able to resolve the said US Supreme Court Justice disagreement and scandal that rocked the whole country within the last few weeks. For us, we believe the US Senate may have confirmed Judge Kavanaugh as the next US Supreme Court Justice to avoid the US Judiciary being unnecessarily politized. This is something we believe its counterpart in the Nigerian National Assembly should emulate from. Few hours after the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh by the US Senate, he was sworn-in as the next US Supreme Court Judge, in spite of the protests around the venue and across the US. The lesson to be learnt here by the Nigerian Senate, is that they should always remain neutral in doing its statutory roles with open heart on any national issue, regardless of who or what is concerned.
Though, the US Senators voted 50 to 48 to elevate Judge Kavanaugh, it was alleged that the Kavanaugh confirmation was playing out against the backdrop of a midterm election where control of the US Congress is at stake, and the confirmation gave US Republicans what they believe is momentum to ensure that they keep their slim Senate majority. For President Trump and Senate Republican leaders, who have made stocking the US federal judiciary with conservative judges a signature issue, the Senate vote was a validation of a hard-edge strategy to stick with Judge Kavanaugh, even after his nomination was gravely imperiled by allegations by one Christine Blasey Ford that he had tried to rape her when they were teenagers. Even though President Trump accused the protesters of being sponsored, it was clear that the protest may have a little bit of partisan lines to it.
However, it was obvious that the US Senate did what they did to prevent it Judiciary to be influenced by politics. We think the US Senate wanted to keep intact, the integrity of its Supreme Court Judges who are expected to be impartial and independent to be able to protect the US Democracy. The US Senate may have seen the ‘unseen hands’ behind the scenes of the scandal, even with the FBI investigation before the Senate’s vote and confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. We think they must have seen from the FBI investigation on Judge Kavanaugh that the sexual allegations against him may not be able to provide enough evidence to nail the Judge. The lady who is the lead accuser/complainant, obviously kept the alleged offence for too long before coming out. In other words, we think the US Senate took that action to separate politics and the US Judiciary. The US Senate may have based their confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh on facts presented before them, and not on politics and undue sentiments.
If it were to be in Nigeria, such an allegation of sexual misconduct against a high-ranking Senior Judge, that took place over 36 years ago, will never be investigated at all because of the nature of the allegation and how long it was alleged to have happened. In fact, as we followed the said event with the US Senate and those involved, we could not help but wonder if this was happening in Nigeria, will the Nigerian Senate take a ‘stern stand’ to protect the image of the Nigerian Judiciary from being influenced with politics, in spite of the wide protest against the Judge that may be involved? Will the Nigerian Senate be able to confirm such a Judge, who has an admirable record and experience to make a good Justice in the Supreme Court, regardless of the partisan lines and outside influences that are against the said confirmation?
For instance, it is sad that up till date, the Nigerian Senate has refused to confirm the appointment of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, whom the Presidency, and we believe majority of Nigerians, believe has been doing a good job with the anti-graft agency. But the Nigerian Senate has refused to confirm him for obvious unnecessary political reasons and undue sentiments. We are also told that there are many other unconfirmed appointments and approvals by the Nigerian Senate, all of which are due to undue political reasons. They are holding back their confirmation not because the persons in question are not credible or do not have what it takes to perform, the Nigerian Senators are refusing their confirmation simply based on political reasons and sentiments. This is why we believe that the Nigerian Senate and including the Government, have a lot to learn from their counterparts in the US. Like we often say, no foreigner will fix Nigeria for us, the US and UK have their own internal issues to worry about to resolve, and they will not abandon their own countries to come fix ours. That onerous task of fixing and addressing issues in the Nigerian polity can best be carried out by Nigeria, especially those at the helm of affairs.
Zik Gbemre, JP.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
With over repeated interruptions by protesters in the gallery of the US Senate recently voted 50 to 48 to confirm Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh as the next US Supreme Court Justice, we cannot help but applaud the US Senate on how it was able to resolve the said US Supreme Court Justice disagreement and scandal that rocked the whole country within the last few weeks. For us, we believe the US Senate may have confirmed Judge Kavanaugh as the next US Supreme Court Justice to avoid the US Judiciary being unnecessarily politized. This is something we believe its counterpart in the Nigerian National Assembly should emulate from. Few hours after the confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh by the US Senate, he was sworn-in as the next US Supreme Court Judge, in spite of the protests around the venue and across the US. The lesson to be learnt here by the Nigerian Senate, is that they should always remain neutral in doing its statutory roles with open heart on any national issue, regardless of who or what is concerned.
Though, the US Senators voted 50 to 48 to elevate Judge Kavanaugh, it was alleged that the Kavanaugh confirmation was playing out against the backdrop of a midterm election where control of the US Congress is at stake, and the confirmation gave US Republicans what they believe is momentum to ensure that they keep their slim Senate majority. For President Trump and Senate Republican leaders, who have made stocking the US federal judiciary with conservative judges a signature issue, the Senate vote was a validation of a hard-edge strategy to stick with Judge Kavanaugh, even after his nomination was gravely imperiled by allegations by one Christine Blasey Ford that he had tried to rape her when they were teenagers. Even though President Trump accused the protesters of being sponsored, it was clear that the protest may have a little bit of partisan lines to it.
However, it was obvious that the US Senate did what they did to prevent it Judiciary to be influenced by politics. We think the US Senate wanted to keep intact, the integrity of its Supreme Court Judges who are expected to be impartial and independent to be able to protect the US Democracy. The US Senate may have seen the ‘unseen hands’ behind the scenes of the scandal, even with the FBI investigation before the Senate’s vote and confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh. We think they must have seen from the FBI investigation on Judge Kavanaugh that the sexual allegations against him may not be able to provide enough evidence to nail the Judge. The lady who is the lead accuser/complainant, obviously kept the alleged offence for too long before coming out. In other words, we think the US Senate took that action to separate politics and the US Judiciary. The US Senate may have based their confirmation of Judge Kavanaugh on facts presented before them, and not on politics and undue sentiments.
If it were to be in Nigeria, such an allegation of sexual misconduct against a high-ranking Senior Judge, that took place over 36 years ago, will never be investigated at all because of the nature of the allegation and how long it was alleged to have happened. In fact, as we followed the said event with the US Senate and those involved, we could not help but wonder if this was happening in Nigeria, will the Nigerian Senate take a ‘stern stand’ to protect the image of the Nigerian Judiciary from being influenced with politics, in spite of the wide protest against the Judge that may be involved? Will the Nigerian Senate be able to confirm such a Judge, who has an admirable record and experience to make a good Justice in the Supreme Court, regardless of the partisan lines and outside influences that are against the said confirmation?
For instance, it is sad that up till date, the Nigerian Senate has refused to confirm the appointment of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, whom the Presidency, and we believe majority of Nigerians, believe has been doing a good job with the anti-graft agency. But the Nigerian Senate has refused to confirm him for obvious unnecessary political reasons and undue sentiments. We are also told that there are many other unconfirmed appointments and approvals by the Nigerian Senate, all of which are due to undue political reasons. They are holding back their confirmation not because the persons in question are not credible or do not have what it takes to perform, the Nigerian Senators are refusing their confirmation simply based on political reasons and sentiments. This is why we believe that the Nigerian Senate and including the Government, have a lot to learn from their counterparts in the US. Like we often say, no foreigner will fix Nigeria for us, the US and UK have their own internal issues to worry about to resolve, and they will not abandon their own countries to come fix ours. That onerous task of fixing and addressing issues in the Nigerian polity can best be carried out by Nigeria, especially those at the helm of affairs.
Zik Gbemre, JP.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes