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Nigeria on verge of collapse, 2023 elections threatened – Falana

Published

3 years ago

May 28, 2021

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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana on Thursday said Nigeria is on the verge of collapse as the 2023 general election is threatened in view of series of attacks on INEC offices.

Falana spoke at the final sitting of the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution, South West, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Zonal Public Hearing, Lagos Center, held in Ikeja, under the chairmanship of Senator Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central.

According to Falana, Nigeria is ruled by rule of the rulers and not rule of law, lamenting that people commit all manner of crime and got away with it because there are no sanctions.

“This must change. The Social Security Bill must also work so that jobless people can get stipends pending when they will get full employment. What can we do very quickly to save this country which is on the verge of collapse? If you don’t want people to break away from Nigeria, we must give them confidence and sense of belonging, don’t declare a war,” he said.

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Falana said for the constitutional amendment to be fruitful, for Nigeria to have genuine outputs from this meeting, peace must reign.

He stated that Nigeria’s problem must be addressed frontally, as well as give people the confidence of peace and inclusion if the government must kill the cries for secession.

“In fact, in some parts of the country, the 2023 elections are already threatened. “INEC offices are being burnt, police stations are being burnt. In that kind of atmosphere, we cannot pretend that there is political stability in our country.

“Essentially, I am making a case for the poor, the masses of our people who are generally not represented in fora of this nature which are most times for the elites and privileged among our people,” he added.

The rights lawyer explained that chapter two of the constitution guaranteed the right to education, health, living minimum wage, good adequate housing, unemployment benefits, among others, but that members of the ruling class conspired and agreed, regardless of political affiliation, that these provisions shall not be enforceable or made justiciable.

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“But unless we are prepared to make these provisions justiciable and enforceable, this country will know no peace. Whatever constitution will come forth after now must make justiciable the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state without which there will be no political stability in Nigeria,” he said.

Falana submitted that the Child Rights Act enacted in 2003 be made applicable throughout Nigeria, adding that as of today, only 25 states have adopted the law, “but even then, not fully implemented. Unfortunately, it is states where banditry, kidnapping and terrorism thrive that have refused to adopt or domesticate the law, and that is where banditry, terrorism, and kidnappers recruit daily.

“We also advocate a 50/50 representation for men and women in government. We should emulate other African countries where women even take a larger percentage in government affairs.”

Related Topics:2023 ELECTIONS Falana INEC

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Bill to increase salaries, allowances of judges passes second reading at senate

Published

29 mins ago

May 9, 2024

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A bill seeking to increase the salaries and allowances of judges at all levels has passed second reading in the senate.

The bill was considered after Lola Ashiru, deputy majority leader, led the debate during plenary on Thursday.

Ashiru said the bill, which was sent by the executive, will enhance the integrity of the judicial arm of government.

Contributing to the debate, Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno north, said improving the welfare of judges will insulate them from corruption.

“There is a need to bring up the remuneration of judicial officers that have stagnated over the years,” Monguno said.

“This will insulate judicial officers from corruption and give them courage to deliver judgments that are just and fair.”

On his part, Orji Uzor Kalu, senator representing Abia north, said increasing the salaries of the judges is the right thing to do.

“No right thinking Nigerian will not think that it is right to keep the judiciary comfortable. I want to thank the executive for deeming it fit to increase salaries of judges at all levels,” Kalu said.

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“We should not stop at the judiciary but look at other sectors of the economy.”

Emmanuel Udende, senator representing Benue north-east, said judges have had their morale dampened over the years because of poor remuneration.

“For the past 15 years, judicial officers have remained on meagre salaries,” he said.

“When you interact with them as a lawyer, you see their morale is dampened, and when the morale is dampened the work will be.”

The bill passed second reading after it was put to a voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

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UPDATED: Ex-aviation minister, Sirika, daughter arraigned over ‘N2.7bn contract fraud, gets N100m bail

Published

4 hours ago

May 9, 2024

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A former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has pleaded not guilty to the alleged corrupt practices involving about N2.7 billion brought against him by the Federal Government.

Sirika was arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji at the Federal High Court in Abuja along with his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, and a firm – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.

The daughter and son-in-law also pleaded not guilty to the six-count charges when read to them.

Following their denial of the fraud charges, their respective lawyers moved applications for their bail which was granted by the judge.

Justice Oriji admitted the three defendants on bail for ₦100m and two sureties each in the like sum.

The sureties must be responsible citizens with verifiable home addresses while one of them must have landed property with a certificate of occupancy signed by the FCT Minister.

The judge ordered that the defendants must not travel out of the country without express permission of the court.

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If unable to perfect the bail conditions, Justice Orijin ordered that they should be remanded in prison custody till the time of perfection of bail conditions.

The court fixed June June 10th for the commencement of the trial.

Sirika served under the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari.

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BREAKING: Ex-aviation minister, Sirika, daughter arraigned over ‘N2.7bn contract fraud’

Published

5 hours ago

May 9, 2024

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A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has arraigned Hadi Sirika, a former minister of aviation.

The ex-minister has also been granted bail in the sum of N100 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Sirika on a six-count amended charge bordering on alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud.

The EFCC had detained Sirika on April 23 pending his arraignment.