By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Senior clergymen, law experts, media, business leaders, media gurus held the third colloquium yesterday in Calabar to celebrate Archbishop Tunde Adeleye, a retired high priest of the Anglican Communion Calabar Diocese, Tunde Adeleye.
They used the opportunity to discuss the theme of the celebration, which was ‘Governance and the Rule of Law: The Acid Test for the Nigerian Politician’.
Speakers called for a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s political system, particularly internal party processes.
They expressed worry over the growing monetisation of political party structures in Nigeria, saying it has been identified as a major obstacle to the emergence of credible leadership in the country.
Delivering a guest lecture at the event, President and Founder of Christian Central Chapel, Archbishop Gospel Emmah Isong, said the major weakness in Nigeria’s electoral system lies not in the conduct of general elections but in the internal mechanisms of political parties.
Discussing the theme, Isong argued that party primaries and leadership structures are often compromised by money and manipulation long before elections are held.
According to him, the outcome of many elections is frequently determined years in advance because party processes are influenced by financial power rather than popular support.
“Most times, even two years before the general election, people already know who will emerge,” he said.
Isong stressed that individuals who are credible and widely accepted by their constituents should be allowed to emerge through transparent and democratic party processes.
“If we can deal with the current tradition of monetised party politics, Nigeria’s political system will be sanitised,” he added, noting that a cleaner political culture would produce leaders who genuinely represent the people.
The cleric also condemned the country’s prevailing “do-or-die” approach to politics and urged political parties to reform their internal processes to promote fairness and accountability.
While expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, Isong observed that the country already possesses laws capable of strengthening democracy but lamented that loopholes and weak enforcement often prevent them from achieving their intended purpose.
Also speaking at the event, the first discussant, Prof. Paul Ajah, emphasised that adherence to the rule of law remains the key distinction between responsible leadership and authoritarian rule.
“The rule of law distinguishes a leader from a warlord,” Ajah said, adding that governance must be guided by legal principles rather than personal power.
Justice Dada and husband Barrister Dada, a professor of law also spoke, reemphasizing that judges often look at facts of the case not public sentiments in deciding their cases.
They assured that the law court still remains the last hope for the people.
The celebrant, Adeleye expressed deep gratitude to God and the people for the show of love.
He appealed that Nigeria’s politicians should st
op compromising the judiciary.
End
