By Demola AKINYEMI, Ilorin

Ondo state governor,  Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has  said that  the success of 2011 elections and the unity  of Nigeria largely depend on judiciary.

He said the judiciary must be insulated   from corrupt practices of the polity so as to be independent and so properly exercise its functions as the last hope of the masses.

Mimiko who noted that this should be expediently done, harped  that the development   would go a long way  towards  ensuring the sustenance of the nation’s democracy thereby enhancing dividends of democracy to the populace.

Governor Mimiko who was at the 2010 Biennial Law Week of the Nigeria Bar Association, Ilorin branch with the theme “ The crisis of democracy and good governance in Nigeria in the last decade , the way forward “ held at the Kwara state banquet hall, Ilorin, said, “We have a responsibility to deliberately empower the judiciary  so that it will be capable of independent decisions and we have a responsibility as Nigerians , as leaders to  insulate the  judiciary from corrupt influences of the public, if that is the only point I will make here today I am okay because this will largely make or mar the country after 2011 elections if the right things are not urgently done now.”

He also noted  said that, the  process of the new look judiciary  must necessarily  ensure that, henceforth, there should be no swearing_in of winner of any elections in Nigeria until all elections petitions before the tribunal are totally dispensed with.