•Wants Nigerians to mount pressure on N/A to override president
•Says constitution recognises zoning
Wale Igbintade
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday said he would not be surprised if President Muhammadu Buhari refuses to sign the electoral bill into law, stressing that the ruling All Progressive Party (APC) is not ready to change the status quo.
Falana, who was a guest on Political Paradigm on Channels Television, monitored by THISDAY in Lagos, stated that the ruling party wants the status quo to remain hence there is no pressure on the President to sign the electoral bill to law.
He said whereas the ruling party while in opposition campaigned for electoral reforms but are no longer interested in putting a stop to the rigging of elections.
He said Nigerians should be willing to mount pressure on the National Assembly to override the President if he failed to sign the electoral bill into law adding ‘we can’t go on like this’.
Asked if he was worried that the President has refused to sign the electoral amendment bill, Falana said: ‘’I am not worried because I understand why the ruling party is not prepared to reform the electoral process through the new bill, and I won’t be surprised if the President doesn’t sign the bill. We have been in this game since 2018.
“APC as an opposition party campaigned for electoral reforms, but the party is not prepared to allow the status quo to change. Status quo that promotes rigging of elections, that promotes inconclusive elections, and the ‘tribunalisation’ of the electoral process. Asking court or the tribunal to determine the winner of the election as opposed the people.’’
According to Falana, Nigeria is not yet an evolving democracy, but rather an evolving civil rule.
“Whereas in the last 23 years we have had an uninterrupted civil rule, we are far from a democratic rule. Democracy, as stipulated by Section 14 of the Constitution requires that we promote popular democracy in Nigeria. It also stated that we must have fair and credible elections. We have not really had a good election in Nigeria.
“It also stipulated that the welfare of the people shall be the primary focus of the ruling class. But, the welfare of the people has never been the primary focus of the ruling class. Insecurity has been the order of the day. We cannot therefore talk of democracy because human rights are violated.
He added that once these essential attributes of democracy are missing we cannot be talking of democratic rule.
Falana further stated that aside from the fact that Nigerians have kept the military out of power, no other progress has been made since 1999 adding that the limited gains that were recorded are being eroded.
His words: “People are being harassed. The majority of Nigerians are criminalised. People are being detained illegally. Those who are involved in extra judicial killings are hardly arrested whereas ordinary people accused of stealing ordinary handset worth N10,000 or N20, 000 are arrested and detained and taken to court, if they are lucky to be taken to court.
“They are handcuffed and leg chained before the media. But, those accused of stealing billions or what you call money laundering are never paraded. You do not embarrass politically exposed persons. So, it is difficult to speak of democracy for the majority of our people.”
He said since 1999 when the civil rule was restored, no regime has ever undertaken to restore the rights of Nigerian people at the federal, state, or local government stressing that “There is no example of good governance when it comes to respecting the rights of our people.’’
Speaking on the forthcoming 2023 election, Falana said: “Millions of young people are reported to have registered to vote and more are prepared to participate in the democratic process, but what are they voting for. The media have to help the Nigerian people; unless the media begin to interrogate those who want to lead nothing will change in 2023.
“After 60 years of independence, we must challenge those who have made difficult for our people, who have made it difficult for our country to realize her potential. Those who want to govern us must be challenged. Today, people talk about Jakande estates, but since 1999, governments in Lagos State have been building houses for the rich and not for the poor, and not for the workers.
Falana stated that while it is the fundamental right of any Nigerian to aspire to be President of Nigeria or any other elective position, the media must challenge them to know how do they want to address the problem confronting Nigeria.
On the issue of zoning, he said: “The constitution recognises zoning. The Federal Character Commission Act recognises zoning. In fact, by the provisions of section 4 of the Federal Character Act, if there are two positions in Nigeria, one shall go to the North, one shall go to the South.
“Also Section 14 sub section 3 of the Constitution provides that the government of Nigeria shall not be constituted in such a manner as to give the impression that only a section of the country controls the government. The point I am making is that once zoning is not meant for the people, but to satisfy the political ambition of the elites, it will be of no benefit.
”There are committed political forces that are working towards having a political party that can challenge the dominance of the APC and the PDP. These two parties have been in power for over 23 years and there is no hope that the country is going out of the wood. This is a general concern among democratic forces
He said the 2023 election is not going to be business as usual, adding that nobody is going to contest any serious position, that would not be challenged.
On the issue of suspended Police Officer, Abba Kyari, he said Kyari had been made to believe that he is above the law and that he can do anything and get away with it.
