Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says President Muhammadu Buhari is not prohibited by law to confer national honours on deserving Nigerians, dead or alive.

Falana said this on Thursday in reaction to a statement by Alfa Belgore, a former chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), describing as illegal, the conferment of Nigeria’s highest national honour on MKO Abiola, presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 election.

The retired judge said the national honours can not be awarded posthumously, “much less the GCFR”, which is the highest honour in the land.

Falana, however, said the ex-CJN did not refer to any section of the National Honours Act or any other law that has been violated by the president.

“With profound respect to the Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore, the National Honours Act has not prohibited or restricted the powers of the president to confer national honours on deserving Nigerian citizens, dead or alive.

“No doubt, paragraph 2 of the Honours Warrant made pursuant to the National Honours Act provides that ‘a person shall be appointed to a particular rank of an order when he receives from the president in person, at an investiture held for the purpose…’ But paragraph 3 thereof has given the president the unqualified discretion ‘to dispense with the requirement of paragraph 2 in such manner as may be specified in the direction.’

“Therefore, since the national awards conferred on Chief Abiola and Chief Fawehinmi cannot be received by them in person the president may permit their family members to receive same on their behalf.”

Falana also addressed the legality of the June 12 holiday declared by the president, which has been argued to be illegal on the grounds that the approval of the national assembly was not sought and obtained.

He said, “Furthermore, section 2 (1) of the Public Holidays Act stipulates that in addition to the holidays mentioned in the schedule to the act, the president may appoint a special day to be kept as a public holiday either throughout Nigeria or in any part thereof. It is crystal clear that the president is not required by law to seek and obtain the approval of the national assembly before declaring a public holiday in the country.”

He concluded that in view of the combined effect of the National Honours Act and the Public Holidays Act, the legal validity of the well deserved awards and the historic holiday has not been impugned in any manner whatsoever.


https://www.thecable.ng/falana-buhari-can-confer-honour-nigerian-dead-alive

True.

afa Belgore

PHC1stBorn:
afa Belgore

Ex CJN for that matter does not know the law

Hausa's have mastered how to play "some" yoruba's like ping pong.

This is a classic maneuver of ego stroking to achieve temporary goals and objectives.

This same people have probably said behind closed doors that he will only be GCFR after his death

They are laughing

No, because Bubu is only the grand commander of the physical federal republic and not the spiritual. If he wants to give national awards to dead people let him go there and share it, we'll clap for him here.

If not for the petty mindedness of people who want to use every avenue to score cheap political points, this award is not supposed to be controversial in the least bit.

This is like the case of someone who uses actions to say I know I did wrong, please use this token to forgive me.
Sometimes Partisan differences needs to be put aside for national unity.
I hope we can overcome the menace of Criminal herdsmen.


Nb the someone whose action I meant is the military.
BUHARI represents the military that did wrong to entire Nigeria by denying Abiola his victory and seizing power from Shagari.
Recognising him in the position of the commander in Chief of Armed forces rights that wrong.

Falana (SAN) the LAWMAN ...
I pity that man called Senator Ajekuniya, following Belgore blindly and was acting like superman at the floor of the senate earlier today. Shame go dey catch him wherever he is now

LIFEisSIMPLE:
Hausa's have mastered how to play "some" yoruba's like ping pong.

This is a classic maneuver of ego stroking for achieving temporary goals and objectives

Late Chief M.K.O Abiola (GCFR)....That sounds painful, I know...Unfortunately, you have to deal with it forever

Falana has clearly become a senseless man spewing rubbish everyday...when will Buhari honour the 5000 killed by Fulani herdsmen

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, GCFR deserves the award. My dad used to motivate me with MKO story, how a child of no body became a billionaire

Mr. Falana doesn’t stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights. He’s a mere attack dog, I have never seen him openly oppose Buhari administration, is he not aware of the killings in the middle belt or the abduction of Leah, the oppression and nepotism.

I’ve lost all respect for this man, I remember missing my flight back in 2012 when this man and his cohorts decided to protest against the increase in fuel price, today PMB has increased the price and this man is yet to say anything about it

Baba face your family/ failed governorship ambition, advise your son to stop singing trashy songs before Muric take up his matter

SalamRushdie:
Falana has clearly become a senseless man spewing rubbish everyday...when will Buhari honour the 5000 killed by Fulani herdsmen

It is unfortunate that those that were still wandering in the land of the unborn when June 12 was unfolding have now taken it upon themselves to interject when the dramatis personae mount the stage to relive the June 12 episode.
How old are you

Late Chief M.K.O Abiola won by large margin in a free and fair election deserved to be GCFR alive and dead not his grave.
Your type always feel like somebody is fighting you. A man was robbed to death and his death is been used to score political points. I am here to fight with you, neither am i here to laugh with you. A winner begged, cried and died for his price

adioolayi:

Late Chief M.K.O Abiola (GCFR)....That sounds painful, I know...Unfortunately, you have to deal with it forever

The jobless lazy idiotic pigs of biafra party are Confuse.

They have not recovered from the upper cut.
And they will never recover from it.

Look at them, using death to campaign as if more than 20000 people did not die through the negligent of your ineffectual buffoon and more than 2m homeless.

AroleOduduwa:
Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, GCFR deserves the award. My dad used to motivate me with MKO story, how a child of no body became a billionaire

Mr. Falana doesn’t stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights. He’s a mere attack dog, I have never seen him openly oppose Buhari administration, is he not aware of the killings in the middle belt or the abduction of Leah, the oppression and nepotism.

I’ve lost all respect for this man, I remember missing my flight back in 2012 when this man and his cohorts decided to protest against the increase in fuel price, today PMB has increased the price and this man is yet to say anything about it

Baba face your family, advise your son to stop singing trashy songs before Muric take up his matter

SalamRushdie:
Falana has clearly become a senseless man spewing rubbish everyday...when will Buhari honour the 5000 killed by Fulani herdsmen

SalamRushdie:
Falana has clearly become a senseless man spewing rubbish everyday...when will Buhari honour the 5000 killed by Fulani herdsmen

SalamRushdie what is going on with your brain? Since last some days you are just posting thrash, please seek for medical attention immediately. Just an advice BRO

4Kemzy:
No, because Bubu is only the grand commander of the physical federal republic and not the spiritual. If he wants to give national awards to dead people let him go there and share it, we'll clap for him here.

what do you mean by WE? Speak for yourself. Mtcheeew

yarimo:
SalamRushdie what is going on with your brain? Since last some days you are just posting thrash, please seek for medical attention immediately. Just an advice BRO

I am not happy with the Buhari govt at all

SalamRushdie:


I am not happy with the Buhari govt at all

but it's only the corrupt and criminal minded ones are not happy with buhari government, except if you are one of them

Belgore is showing what the dangers of nepotism and federal character can cause. A whole Ex-CJN did not do his research on the law before spewing rubbish. He obviously did not earn that CJN post through hard work or use of his brain. Nonsense. Even a child knows that post humous awards are given everywhere in the world. A Nigerian dead or alive is a Nigerian.

SalamRushdie:
Falana has clearly become a senseless man spewing rubbish everyday...when will Buhari honour the 5000 killed by Fulani herdsmen

So this is all what you can come up with? Some of you should be ashamed of yourself really. You and your fellow wailers quickly attacked the president's decision yesterday calling it illegal without being able to provide a single law that was violated. Now that the futility of your argument has been exposed, you have gone back to your default Fulani herdsmen ranting.

My advice for people like you is to purge yourself from hatred. Good things will continue to happen to the people that you are hating and you can only continue to watch in sadness which may lead to health issues for you. Change your ways, hatred will not lead you to anywhere good.

Belgore, Dino, Pigs, you're on your own!

Falana the oversabi.

baby124:
Belgore is showing what the dangers of nepotism and federal character can cause. A whole Ex-CJN did not do his research on the law before spewing rubbish. He obviously did not earn that CJN post through hard work or use of his brain. Nonsense. Even a child knows that post humous awards are given everywhere in the world. A Nigerian dead or alive is a Nigerian.

Am telling you

Tell them Baba Falz

yarimo:
but it's only the corrupt and criminal minded ones are not happy with buhari government, except if you are one of them

Anybody with a conscience cannot be happy with such a govt

buhariguy:
The jobless lazy idiotic pigs of biafra party are Confuse.

They have not recovered from the upper cut.
And they will never recover from it.

Look at them, using death to campaign as if more than 20000 people did not die through the negligent of your ineffectual buffoon and more than 2m homeless.

Mr. Buhariguy, so everyone that doesn’t align with Buhari politically is Igbo? You think honoring MKO is all that matters? You think that will bring food to my table? All I am advocating for is good governance not this gimmick show/ political motivated honors... I don’t know why you’re defending this administration with everything in you, what is it that you and your family have benefited from this administration?

Mind you, my response is in regards to MR. Falana’s comment. Like you, he doesn’t seem to bother about good governance anymore, all he does this days is wait for the opportunity to attack Buhari perceived enemies

And MURIC wants to sue the son of this man...

It's like they want to answer questions...

Yes and can even appoint anyone from the dead into his cabinet

falana... .this is Nigeria

g