Still On The Matter Of The Arrested Judges, Joey Terna Agor

October 16, 2016

After reading the lengthy NJC statement in reaction to the DSS’s arrests of some Judges, I was left nonplussed. The NJC struggled to state its case making heavy weather of its “exclusive disciplinary powers and jurisdiction” and invoking technicalities. But for me the lesson of the NJC’s reaction is contained in the figures the statement displayed.
In the 16 years since it first met (2000-2016) aggrieved members of the public have filed 1808 petitions against judicial officers. Of this number, the NJC reprimanded 82 judicial officers, recommended the compulsory retirement of 38 others and dismissal of 12. In other words, out of 1808 judicial officers petitioned, only a total of 50 (38+12) were forced out of the judicial system through retirement or dismissal.
Going by this record, the following may be inferred: statistically, there is a 1 in 47 chance that a judicial officer petitioned will be retired. 1 in 150 chance that he will be dismissed, 1in 36 chance that he will be retired or dismissed, 1 in 22 chance that a judicial officer petitioned will be reprimanded and a 1 in 13 chance that a petition will merit any action at all and not get tossed out entirely.
These are sobering statistics. The low probability of sanction impression suggested by the NJC figures is more likely to embolden rather than deter judicial officers inclined to corrupt conduct. A wholistic picture is this: out of 1808 petitions treated by NJC in 16 years only 132 merited some form of disciplinary action (reprimand, retirement or dismissal) and the remainder, a whopping 1676 petitions were tossed out or trashed. Clearly, anyway you slice it, specific action categories or wholistically, the picture that emerges doesn’t look good.
The 1676 petitioners who lost out will feel despondent and will spread negative vibes in the public space about the NJC and the Judiciary. The 1676 Judges who survived any form of disciplinary action from those petitions will likely gloat about the frivolity of public petitions. Either of these likely scenarios ought not be the take home point from NJC’s disciplinary action or inaction but rather a feeling that justice has been served in each individual case by the winners and losers alike.
A disciplinary system that routinely tosses out petitions without any form of disciplinary action will not command public trust and respect. The truth is that fellow Judges, Judiciary workers, lawyers and public stakeholders know the few bad eggs amongst them that are corrupt. They are talked and murmured about in hushed and not so hushed tones. An effective NJC disciplinary system will be a huge relief and big service to the overwhelming majority of good, upright Judges who unfortunately and unfairly walk in the dark, tainted shadow of a “corrupt Judiciary” that is cast over them by the few bad ones.
Regrettably, rather than view the DSS anti-corruption arrest of some Judges as a learning experience and opportunity to review its “comfort zone” modus operandi, the lengthy NJC statement adopted a defensive posture, asserting its exclusive disciplinary powers and jurisdiction turf as well as upholding its administrative procedures as a basis for charging the DSS with violation and breach of its exclusive powers and procedures.
Unlike the US Constitution which did not expressly provide for judicial review in Article 3 and it took the courage and creative genius of Chief Justice John Marshall to assert and read that exclusive review power into the US Constitution in the now locus classicus case of Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803), our Constitution on the other hand makes plenary provisions on judicial powers, Chapter 1, Part II, Section 6(6).
It is clear that the DSS arrests will end up in court where the allegations of substantive violations and procedural breaches asserted by NJC in its statement will be examined judicially, so why didn’t the NJC wait to have the courts set it straight in this matter? Wouldn’t a subsequent judicial decision upholding the NJC’s position be viewed negatively as self-serving or self-preservatory?
The public mood in Nigeria right now is decidedly anti-corruption. All arms of government especially the judicial arm as well as private business and the citizenry ought to key into this mood. One more historical example from the US will help in this regard. President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted “New Deal” legislation aimed at getting the US out of the Great Depression but was being obstructed by a conservative Supreme Court that upheld Laissez faire economic philosophy (unregulated freedom of contract, exploitation of child labor, onerous contract terms, exploitative wages, etc environment) and consistently struck down New Deal legislation that were challenged, which sought to regulate labor and business practices (child labor, minimum wage, work hours, etc laws and regulations).
Fed up with the court’s obstructionism President Roosevelt moved to sidetrack it by sending to Congress a Court-reform bill (that became known as the Court-packing bill) which would have authorized him to increase the number of Supreme Court Justices from 9 to 15 and thus pack it with Justices who would have neutralized the conservative block in the Court. Sensing that impending fate the Court made a dramatic jurisprudential switch to avoid it (a switch that became known as “The switch that saved the Nine) in the now famous case of West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish, 300 U.S. 379 (1937) in which the Court against a long consistent record of routinely striking down New Deal legislation that was challenged upheld it instead.
As it was in America in 1937 with the New Deal so it is in Nigeria now with anti-corruption. The public mood is not sympathetic to the usual comfort zone, business as usual obstructionism and if the President is compelled to pursue reforms to overcome it there will be a huge reservoir of public support for them. The better and preferable approach in my sincere opinion therefore, is for pertinent arms and agencies of government to make the necessary switch to fall in step with the anti-corruption fight by reviewing weak laws, regulations and procedures that negate the waging of an effective fight against corruption.
Agor, a corporate attorney, writes from Abuja. [myad]

What Mrs. Aisha Buhari Said In BBC Interview

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

Almost two years after President Muhammadu Buhari was elected into this government, it appears as if things are not going well, the people are complaining. Where do you think the problem is?
From my own observation, being a housewife, I think security wise, we have relatively achieved more than 100 per cent. Being someone that comes from the North East, I knew when almost nobody sleeps in his or her house. But now, people sleep with their two eyes closed. The hardship that people are going through now was anticipated, knowing what we inherited. It is not going to be a smooth journey; but I think so far so good. The only thing that almost everybody is not happy with, including myself, is on those that really suffered for this journey and now people who do not even have registration cards are guiding us, which is so unfair and unfortunate for the journey that we started more than 13 years ago.

But some will say whenever you are elected into government, you have to bring in professionals, experts who know how to do the job and not just politicians….
Yeah; but if you look at the journey that we had, after the merger, we didn’t call it merger or APC again, we called it a movement because it was a collective effort of millions of people, only for us to find out that the government is being operated by a few people. Very few, in the sense that we have may be four to six people that really started the journey with us in the system. Unfortunately, the people that are occupying the seats, I don’t think they have any expertise that our supporters in APC do not have. We have supporters all over the world. Those who really supported APC and felt that enough is enough, let us have sanity in the society; it was a real collective effort. Nobody will say that ‘it was as a result of my hard work that I brought this government’; it was a real team work and we wish that the team work should continue. Everybody knows what my husband wants to achieve in four years. But having new set of people on board that were not part of us, they don’t really know what we promised Nigerians and that is the thing we are facing now.

Who are these four to five people you are talking about?
People like Ogbonnaya Onu, (Rotimi) Amaechi, (Babatunde) Fashola, after the merger it was a huge group that came together and started the struggle again. It is sad that very few are in the system now. Though I heard that they are about to announce like 3,000 names as Board members, we feel that those that have started the struggle should not be limited to Board members. They should be in positions like heading agencies that will impact positively on the lives of Nigerians. Knowing what we have campaigned for, only for us to bring people that are busy telling people that they are not politicians but they are occupying seats that were brought in by politicians. This is a huge disrespect for politicians. Knowing that we are just starting, we have not got to 2017, talk less of 2018 and then 2019 for us to go back to the polls. You understand what I mean?

Who are these very few people as you said surrounding President Muhammadu Buhari, and have you spoken to him about this?
Yeah. Not only me in person, because after receiving complaints upon complaints, I decided to tell him. But all the same, a lot of people have been coming on their own and also collectively to tell him that things are not going the way it should when it comes to putting people in certain positions. Because most of those that are occupying positions in agencies, nobody knows them and they themselves don’t know our party manifesto; what we campaigned for; they were not part of us completely. People were sitting down in their houses, folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position. They don’t have a mission or vision of our APC. You understand what I mean?

Whose fault is this?
It’s the fault of 15.429 million people because they are the ones that brought in the government. It’s their fault!

But theirs is just to elect APC and President Muhammadu Buhari and he is the one that is supposed to be in charge. Is he not?
Because they elected him, that’s why he is here. If they can stand firm and strengthen the party and tell everybody that ‘No! We can’t take this, we can’t take you because you are not a card carrying member, you don’t know what we want to achieve within so and so time’. Fifteen point something million people is a huge number that can control a country.

Somebody listening to this will feel like President Muhammadu Buhari is not in charge of this government….
It is left for the people to decide whether he is in charge or he is not in charge. People actually accepted his ideology and decided to follow him for the past 13 years. That is what brought him to this current position.

As his wife, what will be your advice to him going forward?
My advice is to the whole people that voted for him. They should strengthen the party and whoever is not part of the party should not have control over fifteen point something million people. We are in a democracy and not military era, so we have to play it well and leave a legacy.

What you are saying is that if things continue like this, you will not leave any legacy?
As a person, I have my right to say how I feel about something. If it continues like this, me I am not going to be part of any movement again, because I need to work with the people that we started the journey with collectively so that we can achieve what we want to achieve, so that he would leave a legacy.

Have you told your husband all these?
Yeah! He knows! At my own level, I have done it personally. I have also listened to people’s complaints and I tried to tell him what they are coming to tell me so that if there is anything to be corrected; it can be corrected.

German Chancellor, Merkel, Sympathizes With Nigeria Over Economic Crisis

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has sympathized with Nigeria over the economic crisis that has led to many of its citizens migrating to other countries.
Chancellor Merkel, at a joint press briefing with visiting President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria in Berlin, noted that while countries like Syria have migrants as a result of war, Nigeria’s migration is as a result of economic crisis.
This is why, she said, her country is interested in offering vocational and educational training to young people.
“My point in this is that we need to see to it that human traffickers are out of business; we have to strengthen legal migration to also create jobs in Nigeria, jobs possibilities for vocational training, possibilities in education. Also in the context of migration partnership, we will also talk about re-admission agreement.
“Germany has hundred’s of people who will have to be returned to Nigeria and our first interest will be how to help the young people to get job or find a job.”
She commended President Buhari’s effort in fighting corruption, crime and terrorism in Nigeria, adding: “You see first the successes of this policies and you also see great readiness of partners in ECOWAS and in the region to participate in this good fight and this good course.
“Today’s exchange made our relationship closer. There is great potential we still need to tap and particularly in this difficult time, we want to stand by your side.
“Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and has great potentials for economic progress and this current crisis due to low oil price has to be overcome so that your GDP can be boosted and not in decline as is the case right now.”
On German government’s effort to help Nigeria recover stolen funds, Merkel said: “Well, I do appreciate him and if he has any indication as to where those funds are, we will obviously immediately follow up. Anything the president indicates to us in this respect, we will take up. We want to fight corruption with him.
“Our foreign minister for example, has been instrumental in establishing international exchange. Our finance minister has worked on this as well, so in the future, it will be very difficult to get money out of the country to hide them. We will work together with you on this.”
Merkel promised that her country would inject 18 billion euros for Lake Chad Basin region and 50 billion euros for the overall area in a bid to recharge the Lake Chad.
Merkel said that the Lake Chad region is of great priority to Germany and that Nigeria is part and parcel of the region.
“In terms of cooperation, we said we will earmark 18 billion for lake Chad region area and 50 billion for the overall areas.
“The Lake Chad region is in alarming situation. There are 11 million people displaced, some of them are starving there. Only 10 per cent of the Lake Chad is left, which obviously erodes source of livelihood.
“The President has in his delegation, the governor whose province is ravaged by Boko Haram. We are gratified to note that there have been progress in combating them.” [myad]

Melaye’s Rolls Royces Symbolizes Dept Of Corruption In Nigeria – Buhari In Germany

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has, for the first time, made reference to the multi-million Dollar Rolls Royces car which a Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye was said to have acquired recently.
The President, who did not however mention name of the owner of the car, spoke to a cross section of Nigerians living in Germany before he left for Nigeria after a three-day official visit to that country.

Nigerian media recently exposed Senator Melaye who was said to have bought the car two years ago from Las Vegas in the United States of America, at the cost of about $400,000, with registration number “MELAYE 2.”

President Buhari, who commended Nigerians for supporting his government’s war against corruption. said: “Nigerians are virtually supporting us in our fight against corruption, security and the economy.”
He referred particularly to “Rolls Royces,” recently discovered in the home of certain government official, as a clear reference of the rot in society and the fact that the war against corruption in the country is working.
President Buhari told Nigerians in the Diaspora that it was regrettable that over the years, oil marketers had colluded with banks to defraud Nigeria of much needed revenue from the commodity.
“One third of the activities of the oil marketers are fraudulent; you can see how some of us Nigerians are wicked.
“They just take the money, stamp some papers without bringing the product and this fraudulent activity was between bankers and businessmen.”
The President said that his administration will continue to to be very hard on corruption, in addition to encouraging more Nigerians to pay their tax.
“If you work hard and get your money we will try and see how much tax you can pay us. But to take money from government and get away with it, no more.”
The President underscored the importance of his three-day visit to Germany, the largest economy in Europe, saying that he was upbeat on improved trade ties between both countries because of new investment incentives offered by Nigeria. [myad]

Buhari Visits Injured Nigeria Army General In German Hospital

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari took time off today, to visit, in Berlin, German, a serving Nigeria soldier, Brigadier General Mohammed Sani Aliyu, who was flown to that country for medical attention after a ghastly auto crash in Nigeria.
Brigadier-General Mohammed Sani, who is the Acting Commander of the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos miraculously survived the accident in the course of a duty tour in the North-East.
His colleague, Major-General Yusha’u Abubakar, head of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Army, who was in the same vehicle with Mohammed, died in the crash which occurred on Maiduguri-Damaturu road.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said that President Buhari was accompanied by the Governors of Borno and Imo, the National Security Adviser, NSA, the Minister of Interior and that of Foreign Affairs.
He quoted the President as congratulating General Mohammed for the progress he has made in his treatment in the last six months in hospital.
The President and his delegation wished him a quick recovery and an early return to his family and duties in Nigeria. He gave a further assurance that his administration will continue to accord priority to the health and wellbeing of service personnel.
Doctors in the hospital told Buhari that General Mohammed could barely move his head when he was stretchered into the hospital, with the rest of the body torn and broken in many parts.
They said that now, he can move around with very little assistance.
The recuperating General thanked the President for his visit, saying his spirit to serve Nigeria remains unbroken. [myad]

Aisha’s Anger, By Yusuf Ozi-Usman

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

It sounded strange, unbelievable, funny and all that, to hear Aisha, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari on a BBC interview programme, telling the whole wide world that the government which her husband is presiding over, has been hijacked by a kind of cabal.
In the interview, aired in Hausa language, Aisha Buhari was asked to give the names of the members of the cabal that have allegedly cornered her husband in the appointment of relevant government officials, but she would not identify any. She simply asked her interviewer to keep on watching television where their identities would be revealed.
Indeed, when the news first burst out and the social media was awashed with it, we on this platform: Greenbarge Reporters were not comfortable publishing it because of its incredibility. It was when the BBC went viral with it and when President Buhari reacted to it, jokingly saying that his wife belongs to his kitchen, the living room and the other room that we took it serious.
In fact, we took it serious with disgust and consternation. For, it had never happened in the history of this country, whether in military or civilian regime, that the wife of sitting President would take such a clear opposition stand against her husband.
One is therefore left with no option than to guess the circumstances that might have led to such public display of disagreement with a house in which Aisha lives.
Of course, one is not surprised that Aisha has come up as one of the instruments for the corruption fighting back because of circumstance that borders mainly on her ambition that was dashed. Let’s put it in proper perspective.
When Buhari mounted the leadership of this hyper corruptive country and declared that he was up in arm with corruption, it was obvious that he needed an extra strength and wisdom to kill the corruption or the corruption would destroy him. And he knew instantly that corruption would fight back vehemently in various ways, through various sources and by various means, including, of course, family members.
When he introduced Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), it first looked on the face of it, as a child’s play, but when the systems began to operate, couple with his focus on generating enough funds to run the government, every Nigerian, including himself began to feel the crushing effect of the measure.
One imagines that in an attempt to pursue the cleansing of the economic Augean stables and live above board, he restricted his wife to domestic duties, against her contemplation of being addressed as First Lady, with all the paraphernalia attached to the office. One imagines that Buhari would not even allow his wife to have any strong influence on who he would appoint to what position and how he runs the government generally, as was obtained in the past governments. One imagines that Buhari cancelled the special budgetary allocations being made to the office of First Lady which of course, hurts Aisha. In short Buhari had, in the spirit of Change, dealt a blow with the concept of First Ladyship.
One imagines that President Buhari cancelled not just the title: First Lady, but all such financial and social importance attached to the wife of President. And it didn’t look as if Aisha has other way of getting help from friends of the House, to run her programme in support of her husband. No one would dare come forward to render such financial help, as it happened in the case of late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, who faced similar challenges (when the then President Obasanjo refused to recognize her as First Lady). While late Stella leaned heavily on friends of Obasanjo’s government to finance her pet project, Aisha Buhari has been left in the lurch because of the consequences of TSA and BVN, through which account details of wealthy and poor ones are traced by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and other anti graft bodies. Everybody suddenly becomes poor, including those that are still stinking rich, but are hiding from Buhari’s anti corruption soldiers!
And so, with Aisha seriously looking for relevance in her husband’s government, and which he (Buhari), in the spirit of Change, denies her, conflict is bound to rise. Therefore, having been thoroughly frustrated, Aisha (who I used to call my Mum because that is the name of my mother), went hay wire.
Come to think of it, after having married to Buhari for nearly 27 years, and with five children, all grown up, one would have thought that Aisha would have understood Buhari enough not to misunderstand him when he came up with Change, which he repeatedly says, is a concept and not a political gimmick, that must be imbibed by all Nigerians. And it is Aisha who is supposed to take it as a project down to the nooks and cronies of this country, especially, amongst women.
Buhari’s Change mantra, the way one understands it, is that things that were being done before and were considered to be normal, common place and acceptable would not be allowed to continue: that if all such things had led the country to a near economic, social and cultural comatose, we need to try something else. Such things including cancellation of the concept of First Ladies or for the wife dictating to, or having a bigger role to play in the way the President makes decision, carries out relevant appointments and or runs the government generally.

This was why the President jokingly referred to Aisha, in his response to her diatribe, as belonging to his kitchen, the living room and the other room, since she doesn’t belong to any political party. In other words, Aisha belongs to Buhari, his ideologies, his beliefs, his dos and his don’ts as well as all that he represents and holds dear. And disagreeing with any of such things about Buhari, her husband, by her religious belief, should not have been the subject of public ridicule or consumption.
Let’s tarry awhile to understand that this world is too small and life is too short for Aisha and her likes to carry traditional gong into the market place and display anger. Especially with her own flesh…Buhari.

No matter what. [myad]

Justice Ademola, Whose House Was Raided, Accuses Justice Minister Of Vendetta

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

Adeniyi Ademola, a judge of the federal high court Abuja whose home was raided twoo weeks ago by the Department of State Services (DSS) has accused the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami of personal revenge and vendetta

“What is more intriguing in this whole episode, is that I see it as a vendetta and revenge from the Hon. attorney general of the federation, Abubakar Malami. Whilst I was in Kano between 2004 and 2007 as a federal high court judge, he was involved in a professional misconduct necessitating his arrest and detention by my order.”

Ademola said in an October 11 letter addressed to Nigeria’s chief justice, Mahmud Mohammed that with the with the intervention of the Kano branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), he later withdrew the allegation of misconduct.

Ademola said that the DSS action against him was because he granted bail to former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and to the leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The judge said that he was detained for 24 hours by the DSS before he was even given a reason.

“…Upon signing the document, they told me that I am under arrest and ordered me with guns still pointed at me to move outside. As I was going, they told me they were taking me to their office, Department of State Services (DSS) office, without showing any warrant of arrest.”

The letter read:

“I obeyed them and about six o’clock in the morning, I was whisked away from my residence to the DSS office without any warrant of arrest or reason for my arrest.

“From the time of my arrival at the DSS office, at about 6:45am on 8/10/2016, I was not told what my crime was for over 24 hours till the evening of 9/10/2016.

“A DSS officially finally informed me that the search of my arrest were based on these three allegations; petition of Hon. Jenkins Duvie dated 4th of April 2016 to the National Judicial Council (NJC); granting bail to Col. Sambo Dasuki and the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu; and using my office to secure my wife’s appointment as the head of civil service state through Senator Bola Tinubu.” [myad]

Ebony Governor Gives Marching Orders To Committees On Projects

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, has given members of the State Implementation Committee on Sustainable Development Goals projects and the Steering Committee for the proposed 198-kilometre ring road in the state marching orders to complete the projects as scheduled.

Addressing members of the two committees at the Government House, Abakaliki, the governr directed them to work hard and ensure that the rural electrification projects in six local government areas is ready for inauguration on 15th November. He also ordered that those of the remaining seven local governments be ready for inauguration on 30th November, 2016.

The governor said that through the SDG, the government has embarked on the implementation of a number of projects in six Local Government Areas and that significant among them is the rural electrification project.

“I am directing that that job must be inaugurated by 15th of November. So you have to write it down and the other job for the remaining seven LGAs must be ready by 30th of November. ”

He advised the local government caretaker chairmen to do everything within their powers to ensure that the projects sited in their areas were protected.

Governor Umahi expressed happiness over the cleanliness of Abakaliki, the state capital, saying that the city would be made more beautiful during Christmas.

“Since, the Secretary to the State Government doubles as the Commissioner for Environment now, he has to start looking at the possibility of decorating the city ahead of Christmas. I must express my pride in the SSG over what they are doing in the town and I think everybody must see a very clear difference over the sanitation of the capital city,” the governor added.

He said that the African Development Bank had indicated interest to fund the Abakaliki Ring Road project and directed the SSG and the Commissioner for Solid Mineral, Sylvanus Nwakwaegu, to prepare to defend ”our position in the mining programme coming up between 24th and 29th of this month.”

Governor Umahi who said that the mining committee should be led by the SSG, added that the steering committee would be led by Commissioner for Finance, Barrister, Dennis Ekumankama. [myad]

UN Scribe Rallies More International Support For Release Of Other Chibok School Girls

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon has appealed to international community to render more support for the release of the remaining Chibok Schoolgirls still in Boko Haram captivity in the Nigeria’s Borno state.
Ban Ki Moon, who expressed happiness over the release of 21 such girls earlier in the week, following more than two years of captivity, said: “I remain deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.”
The UN Scribe, who was represented by his Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel and High Representative for Nigeria, appealed to the international community to continue supporting the government of Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and reintegration.
He called for increased efforts to ensure additional humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations in this regard.
He also called for continued engagement with the Nigerian authorities and international partners on this matter. [myad]

National Judicial Council Has Failed, Trial Of Corrupt Judges Must Be Made Public – Onaiyekan

Greenbarge Reporters

October 15, 2016

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has indicated that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has failed Nigeria by not seeing and attending properly to some corrupt judges who were recently rounded up by the Department of State Security (DSS), even as he described the situation as an international embarrassment requiring an urgent redress.

Onaiyekan, who was in Ilorin, Kwara state to preside over a retreat for the priests of the church on the invitation of the Catholic Bishop of Kwara Diocese, Bishop Ayo Maria Atoyebi, insist on public trial of the concerned justices alleged of corruption, rather than leaving same as the exclusive duties of the National Judicial Council.

Saying that the public claims of the corruption allegations against some of the Nigerian justices has devalued the integrity of the nation and her people, Onaiyekan canvassed what he called a reformatory approach from justices with integrity and reputation.

The eminent Catholic leader said: “the allegation of corruption against some of our judges and justices is terrible; it is not good for the country. If our judges are corrupt especially at the Supreme Court level, then that is bad news. Our friends from outside the country are already saying what kind of a nation is this where the judiciary is rotten.

“The rumour is all over that there are judges in this country who are collecting huge money as bribes to pass judgment. The rumour is not good. All those rumours should be transparently investigated. If I were among the nation’s justices, I will insist on their public trials to save my own head and make them responsible. The hovering should be removed. It is serious, because it goes into the root of the justice system. We are not talking of what the NJC is doing secretly, we must do everything to redress the damaged reputation.”

Speaking on release of 21 of the abducted over 200 Chibok girls, Cardinal Onaiyekan believed that the development called for cautious celebration, describing the lack of knowledge on the whereabouts of the remaining girls as a national shame.
“It is worth being celebrated after spending almost 900 days with the terrorists that 21 out of the girls have been released. But it is a shame on our country because nobody is telling us where the rest of the girls are. Are they dead or alive?

“However, if what it takes to secure their release is to let go those criminals we should have allowed them to go a long time ago. The issue has elicited reactions across the world , therefore, that the government can’t afford to hide anything on it. It should tell us the whole truth. These children were free during the advent of mobile phone technology in Nigeria. Many of them would, therefore, know the phone numbers of their parents. So if truly they had been given out in marriage, they are no longer slaves but wives who could call their parents.”

Onaiyekan, who described the insurgents as culprits but not the Federal Government, however, urged the government to sustain its current zeal at effecting the release of all other girls still held in captive by the Boko Haram terrorists. He spoke on the sanctity of secular nature of Nigeria, where freedom of worship in line with the Constitution is guaranteed just as he believed that faithful of the world two leading religions in the country should accept their fate as people created by God to co-habit irrespective of their evangelism drives.

He canvassed cautious handling of the Kaduna State government’s seeming hardline posture with the Islamic sect ‘Shiites’, noting that growth is inevitable where there is persecution over faith, citing Romans persecution of Christian faithful in world Church history.

For him, a blanket ban of the activities of any religious sect without first viewing the activities against the letters and contents of the Constitution could be a fringe of the rights of the concerned people, noting, “it was a ban against the Shites today, who knows it could be against the Roman Catholics tomorrow?”
Onaiyekan, while deploring the harsh economic measures against majority of Nigerians at present said a change in the economic team of President Muhammadu Buhari would not be the much needed solution to cushion the effects as many of the problems are beyond the scope of the indices of national market.

“We have to admit at this stage that some of the issues surrounding our economy are beyond our control. For instance, who are the economic experts that would have control over the price of crude oil in international market? I think we just have to look at some issues where costs can be cut without causing many pains to the ordinary Nigerians. “The stories making rounds today is that governors of states and some senators are immune to recession.

“They sit in offices or chambers dealing with economic figures without facing the reality. We heard of stories of some former states’ governors who are still collecting salaries despite serving at the Senate. Even if the emoluments of such persons are slashed into two, they will not be hungry.” He added, “yet nobody sees that as wrong. At that level, nobody is talking of All Progressives Congress (APC) or People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and nobody is seeing them as being overpaid. I think President Buhari should push this change thing more than he has done. We don’t need change of faces but change of governance. Some people are over paid where many are languishing in poverty.” [myad]

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