{
  "id": 13025455,
  "title": "Osinbajo to Nigerians: Hold Leaders Accountable, Demand Compliance With Rule of Law",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/osinbajo-to-nigerians-hold-leaders-accountable-demand-compliance-with",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T04:16:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/10/09/osinbajo-to-nigerians-hold-leaders-accountable-demand-compliance-with-rule-of-law/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo urged Nigerian citizens to hold political leaders accountable and demand strict adherence to the rule of law during his keynote address at the 2026 Annual Lecture of the Anthony Cardinal Okogie Foundation. The event, themed \"Rule of Law in Nigeria: The Challenges of Leadership Compliance,\" took place in Lagos.\n\nOsinbajo cautioned that Nigeria would continue to cycle through poor governance if citizens did not unite to elect credible leaders and insisted on accountability. He noted that politicians often overpromise during election campaigns, but it was the electorate's responsibility to challenge these promises and ensure elected officials could deliver on their commitments.\n\nThe former Vice President highlighted that Nigeria's main challenge stemmed from citizens, including the elite, dividing themselves along ethnic and religious lines instead of focusing on real issues affecting the country. He argued that citizens needed to move beyond identity politics and vote for the right leaders while scrutinizing campaign promises and demanding fulfillment of them after taking office.\n\nOsinbajo stressed that accountability should be a continuous responsibility rather than limited to election periods. He emphasized that the rule of law must ultimately protect ordinary citizens and deliver practical justice, rather than being measured solely by the existence of laws and judicial institutions.\n\nThe majority of cases in Nigerian courts, Osinbajo pointed out, involved disputes between individuals and organizations rather than government. He stressed the importance of enforcing judgments and adopting a people-centred approach to justice, designing the system from the perspective of the people it serves.\n\nOsinbajo shared stories of Nigerians who faced the justice system after losing property, land, livelihoods, and family support. He warned that the denial or delay of justice was not just a legal issue but a developmental, governance, and moral crisis. The absence of justice, he argued, exacerbated poverty and inequality, disproportionately burdening women, particularly in rural areas.\n\nHe also highlighted the World Justice Project's 2024 Rule of Law Index, which revealed significant weaknesses in Nigeria's justice system, particularly in accessibility, affordability, and responsiveness to citizens. Osinbajo called for reforms to make justice more accessible, affordable, and responsive, advocating for the use of technology, better data collection, and assistance in local languages. Ultimately, he argued that the justice system should be judged by its outcomes.",
  "summary": "• Adewale Martins urges leaders to obey laws, serve the people Oluchi Chibuzor Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday called on Nigerians to hold political leaders accountable and demand",
  "key_points": [
    "Nigeria faces poor governance due to citizens' ethnic and religious divisions, not real issues.",
    "Accountability should be continuous, not limited to elections; justice system needs reforms."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Nigerians must take an active role in demanding accountability from leaders and ensuring adherence to the rule of law to break the cycle of poor governance and achieve practical justice.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}