Shock:

Am i missing something here?  The fact that it is not uncommon does not even make it right to begin with, such folks are entitled to fight for their human rights!

And in most cases, there is always a court approval backing such things up, in this case it might be interpreted as an abuse of power.

The acting President tells a private citizen "don't travel unless you get permission from me"!. . . for what? the Acting President isn't his daddy!

If you will agree with me, most post here is being subjective based on people's personal judgement that the dude is corrupt, and yet not even a single charge has been filed against him.

Don't get me wrong, i also share such opinions about him being corrupt, but we cannot neglect the fact that such restriction of movement can be categorically described as an abuse of his personal rights.


If you want to restrict someone's movement, then do so using appropriate legal channels, what if its not Aondoakaa, let's say it is someone like Wole Soyinka or even you, would you still hold on to this theory?

We are not in a military regime, this is democratic government!

You are right, we are in a democracy and getting a court order is the ideal, however, considering the notorious wait times Nigerian courts are known for I will say this is a more pragmatic approach to take. The guy is not being starved to death, he is just being stopped from leaving the country because he is considered a flight risk.

@Shock.
While l will agree with you that freedom and liberty of citizens are paramount under a democracy, they are not sacrosanct.

The question we need to focus on are:
Why did the President ask that they take permission before traveling?
True, Jonathan is not his Daddy but Jonathan is representative of our constitution, the law of the land. We might play the ostritch but what this dude has done to our democracy is unimaginable.
We have questions bothering on treason and national subversion, that needs to be investigated, and Anaconda is a principal suspect. The only respect he enjoys is that he was a former Minister otherwise, like would have been done to any Tom, Dick and Harry (and that includes bank chiefs), he would have been docked, PENDING INVESTIGATION!

Question like who forged Yar'Ardua's signature on that last budget?
*Who authorized the spending of Yar'Ardua's security vote of over 500Million? (or is it Billion sef )
*Who orchestrated that BBC interview that Yar'Ardua (or his ghost) gave?
*what part did Anaconda played in the deployment of the Army Battalion that welcomed Yar'adua?
*Who ordered that Yar'Ardua seat at the FEC meeting be guarded by an armed soldier? What was the purpose and danger to Jonathan if he had tried to sit there-in?
*Has he explained how Yar'adua "gave approval" of  the #50Million Tax-payer's money he was planning to squander on that jamboree?
What about the Halliburton scandal/ court judgment and the employment of some "errand boys" to stifle justice and emasculate the beneficiaries of that money?


All this question has the finger-print of Anaconda, being the arrow head of the "mythological cabal".

Taking permission before traveling out of the jurisdiction is a standard and lawful practice in criminal investigations and as someone has pointed out, if risk of flight is envisaged.
*Why did Anaconda decide to flee instead of taking permission? Is he claiming he is bigger than a Presidential order?
For now, Anaconda is not guilty, he is innocent but under investigation nd he needs permission to travel. End of turanshi.

Since it was a general directive, l see no reason why Anaconda should feel above the directive.
Anaconda has by his behavior in the last few years (especially since Yar'Adua went under-cover) shown that he is an enemy of this nation and does not deserve any "human rights" at all.

I think we have an "artful forger" in the net, this time.
Kirikiri, here they come

Sky Blue:

You are right, we are in a democracy and getting a court order is the ideal, however, considering the notorious wait times Nigerian courts are known for I will say this is would be a more pragmatic approach to take. The guy is not being starved to death, he is just being stopped from leaving the country because he is considered a flight risk.

Where then do we draw the line? Who, or what yardstick do we use to measure someone who can be considered a flight risk?  Is it right or legal for an individual to declare another a flight risk and withdraw such person's privileges to leave the country when he or she wishes to do so without the backing of the court?

Yes he's not being starved to death, but what if it wasn't him?, perhaps someone whose survivor depends on the foreign trip, or maybe he just needed a quick checkup abroad? How then do you explain to a willing ear that "I can't leave my country because that Acting President says not to leave"

The dude is a private citizen, just like Seun Osewa, Skyblue, Fhemmmmy, mukina, Kosovo or even becomerich {okay maybe not becomerich}

Everything seem to boil down to personal opinions, and use of yardstick which is subjective rather than objective.

we have laws of our land.GJ said no travel, Anacoda pls no travel.

@Lastpage:

I agree with you, that pending trials, he might be a flight risk and as such shouldn't be allowed to leave the borders.

All i'm stressing however is that this should have a legal backing.

The Acting president is not the only one who is a representative of the constitution, every Nigerian is! and every Nigerian should be subjective to that constitution, the Acting President has no such higher rights than either me or you!

The Acting President shouldn't be a law unto himself, if he wants to stop a private citizen from travelling outside the country, then there should be a court approval to it, not doing so, is dictatorial in nature.

And where do we draw the line between what a presidential order is and how it applies to private citizens?

If the President is not my employer, he simply can't wake up tomoro and tell me not to eat!. . .It's only possible in a military/dictatorial regime!

If their are pending investigations on him, them the Federal Republic should get a restraining order from court that stops him from moving outside the country, otherwise, let them charge him to court!

@Shock, you're are over stretching the issue of personal rights in a democracy. In a democracy there are also superior authorities, in this case the AP said he should take permission before traveling aboard but he decided that he is too big for that (insubordination).
I don't understand what you mean by "If the President is not my employer". The President has even more power over you than your employer.

zoraro:

@Shock, you're are over stretching the issue of personal rights in a democracy. In a democracy there are also superior authorities, in this case the AP said he should take permission before traveling aboard but he decided that he is too big for that (insubordination).
I don't understand what you mean by "If the President is not my employer". The President has even more power over you than your employer.   

If i work in a Government organisation, like the stock exchange, military,Head Master of a public school, or even perhaps i'm occupying a public position such as a ministerial appointment, then the government is my employer, literarily saying, the President is my employer.

However, if i don't, let's just say i run a small private consultancy and i receive absolutely no benefit from the government, then the President is not my employer and i am not obliged under any constitution to obey any direct orders from him. and in such case, the president has no power over me and i can even sue the government if i believe my rights is being infringed upon.

Do you realize that if the president comes to my house, i can walk him out and shut the door, that's not insubordination, we are both Nigerian citizens, and the constitution was made for the purpose of equality,  . .legally, he doesn't have more right than i do.

That's why there is freedom in a democratic government, and that includes freedom of movement.

Aondoakaa should not be allowed to absconed, but like most people here said, the directive should come via a court order. Didn't R Lukman also disobeyed Ag Pres and traveled out anyway?

safariman:

Aondoakaa should not be allowed to absconed, but like most people here said, the directive should come via a court order. Didn't R Lukman also disobeyed Ag Pres and traveled out anyway?

Exactly what i have been trying to say!

@Shock, even in America the President can give Executive Orders which do not need approval of congress or law courts. e.g slavery was ended in America by a Presidential executive order. I am sure a lot of slave owners would have argued like you that it infringes on their rights.

I agree with @Shock. But this is Nigeria where those in power fancy themselves gods, and above rule of law.

Well, if the man sues, maybe then we well learn why it is good to do things by the book

[Quote]Well, if the man sues, maybe then we well learn why it is good to do things by the book[/quote]
I'll be wasting his ill-gotten money if he does. No law was broken here.

zoraro:

I'll be wasting his ill-gotten money if he does. No law was broken here.

How sure are you of this?

@zoraro
I don't think a US president can issue an order banning a US citizen from traveling, it has to be a court order.  Passing a legislation or appointment by the use of exe order is a different thing

safariman:

@zoraro
I don't think a US president can issue an order banning a US citizen from traveling, it has to be a court order.  Passing a legislation or appointment by the use of exe order is a different thing

President Kennedy imposed travel restrictions on US citizens to Cuba by executive order in 1963.

Ówó tii tęę. Omo olè

zoraro:

President Kennedy imposed travel restrictions on US citizens to Cuba by executive order in 1963.

I'm not so sure on that. But I know Obama lifted the restriction. Traveling to Cuba is now allowed but very limited. I think pple are only allowed to travel twice in 3 or 5 years. Don't quote me to be exact but I think I'm close.

sulad82i:

I'm not so sure on that. But I know Obama lifted the restriction. Traveling to Cuba is now allowed but very limited. I think pple are only allowed to travel twice in 3 or 5 years. Don't quote me to be exact but I think I'm close.

You can do a search (what I said his 100% true). You are even corroborating me by this your Obama statement. i.e a US president can issue an order banning a US citizen from traveling.

I am not certain one can argue that an embargo on travel to cuba is same with what we have here with the SSS stopping Aondoakaa from travelling Abroad. Essentially, the second makes him a prisoner in Nigeria - he is unable to travel out of the country. While in the first case, these same people are free to travel to other parts of the world, and maybe to cuba from other parts but just not directly from the US. I know of a particular case where an american cuban would travel from florida to mexico and then to cuba.

Kobojunkie:

I am not certain one can argue that an embargo on travel to cuba is same with what we have here with the SSS stopping Aondoakaa from travelling Abroad. Essentially, the second makes him a prisoner in Nigeria - he is unable to travel out of the country. While in the first case, these same people are free to travel to other parts of the world, and maybe to cuba from other parts but just not directly from the US. I know of a particular case where an american cuban would travel from florida to mexico and then to cuba.

I am not saying they are the exact same thing (But, if a president can stop all citizen from traveling to a country what stops him from stopping some individuals from traveling if they are under investigation).
He's in a very cozy prison, Bode George and many others will not mind trading places with him .

Why cant they put electronic tags on all current and former government officials?

Their moves need monitoring!

The equipment is relatively cheap and easy to administer.

The id!ot wanted to test the extent of Uncle Joe's power. So as Uncle Joe landed away, na so im too wan enter plane!
Hidiot!
Everyday for de tif one day for de owner!

nemesis  don catch him. dis na de begini,

the soul that sinneth shall , DIE

Aondoakaa,  you see your life ?   

@zoraro
I think general travel ban or embargo by a US president using ex order on all her citizen is different than target restriction by a president. I still think it has to come from law enforcement agency or by a court order.

which human right are you guys talking about? him never see fire, he don already dey sweat.

what do you expect, when the likes of iboris are his best pals

@safariman,
You are entitled to your own opinion. The man is a lawyer so he should know is rights, let him sue the government then we'll see the outcome.

This is just genesis, by the he reach malachi, he will understand.