Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has on citizens and government to adhere strictly to the principles of rule of law to ensure good democratic governance.

Dogara made the assertion on Thursday in Abuja while delivering a speech as Chairman of the rule of law summit organized by the Law Students of Nigeria.

According to him,   in the simplest term, rule of law means we are subject to clearly defined laws and legal principles rather than the personal whims of powerful people.

He added that those laws must apply equally to all people, all the time.

“The idea that no one is above the law, though foreign, is now a foundational principle of our jurisprudence, even if its implementation remains more aspirational than actual.”

The lawmaker reminded the judiciary that it was saddled with the responsibility of mediating between the state and the individuals to determine the appropriate province of the rule of law within the legal system.

In his opening remarks, convener of the summit, Mr. Blessing Agbomere said the country had reasonable laws in all aspects of its national life noting that the problem was implementation and enforcement of the laws.

“In any society where there is no respect for rule of law, there is always anarchy and we cannot call that society.

“Where there is no law, even the government itself will fail.

“There is a need for government and individuals to adhere to the tenets and principles of rule of law for good governance.

“If we adhere to the rule of law, it means our lives will be governed by the laws that we have made,” Agbomere said.

Agbomere added that they were developing an application referred to as “The app”, which would be launched very to enhance and promote access to justice.

The theme of the summit was “Strengthening the rule of law through technology”.