Nigerians Rally,
Demand Constitutionality
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos, Chukwumwrije, Ajah, Abuja
Nigerians
under the aegis of Save Nigeria Group are demanding
absolute respect for the rule of law as regards the activation
of section 145 of the 1999 constitution.
The rally comes a day before an High Court in Nigeria gave a
fourteen-day ultimatum to the country’s executive council,
within which to declare whether President Umaru Musa Yar ‘Adua
is capable of continuing in office or not.
The pronouncement
The Chief Judge of the High court, Justice Daniel Abutu gave the
order in Abuja on Friday.
A former minority leader of the country’s House of
Representatives, Alhaji Farouk Adamu Aliyu had approached the
court requesting it to determine whether or not the long absence
of President Yar’Adua from the country for medical treatment in
Saudi Arabia was proper.
Justice Abutu ruled in favour of Alhaji Farouk saying that the
executive council of the country must make public, the state of
health of President Yar’Adua.
He also said that the Federal Executive Council is not
recognized by the Nigerian constitution, insisting that it only
recognizes the executive council of the Federation.
Constitution provision
The group asked that the section of the constitution relating to
the president’s absence or incapacitation be abided with.
This section provides that: the President must send a written
declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of House Of
Representatives when proceeding on vacation or in the event of
being unable to discharge his official functions; until he
transits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such
function shall be discharged by the Vice President.
The group maintains that ailing Nigerian President Umaru Yar
‘Adua, who is recuperating from heart ailment in a Saudi Arabian
hospital, must write a letter to the National Assembly leaders
empowering his Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan to function as
Acting President.
This was part of the demands made at a rally by the group in
Lagos on Thursday, which comes on the heels of a similar
gathering in Abuja two weeks ago.
Allusion
Save Nigeria Group made references to similar situations within
the African continent whereby the President handed over to their
deputies.
They were of the position that lack of a clear pronouncement on
section 145 of the constitution had heated the polity while
public officials’ comments on the medical condition of the
president had raised political temperature to an all time high.
Roll Call
The rally was led by two retired military officers: General
Alani Akinrinade - a former Minister of Transport and Commodore
Ndubuisi Kanu, a former military administrator of Lagos state,
renowned lawyer and activist, Mr. Femi Falana, Pastor Tunde
Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly Church, Suleiman Lukman and
other members of civil society groups.
The protesters also demanded the implementation of
recommendations of the electoral reforms committee on future
elections in Nigeria.
These demands were put together in a letter addressed to the
forum of state governors and handed to the governor of Lagos
state, Mr. Babatunde Fasola.
The governor promised to deliver the letter and noted that the
group’s demands are legitimate and part of a public service to
the people.
In his words, ’’Your demands are legitimate and anyone who
feels otherwise does not understand the dictate of public
service. As public servants we are to serve you. Hence I will
deliver your letter to the Governors Forum”.
Yinka
