helinues:
Falana ran ti ara ee

You were part of those who forced Buhari on Nigerians ... If you made mistake in 2015, mistake in 2019 not acceptable

Lipscomb:
Buhari is the most democratic president Nigeria ever had... what Buhari tolerate some bastard that have nothing will never tolerate it, can ordinary citizen make this kind remark about falana or wike of river state. None of this governor can tolerate this kind of insults Buhari receiving every day.

And for you falana you pass your boundary with this your reckless statement... You can talk to president like this no matter the level of his incompetence you must respect that seat.

Dss should pick falana up maybe other people can learn from his mistake.

Lipscomb:
He forced Buhari on Nigerians, please explain how... I wonder if falana is a kingmaker and as the last time I checked Nigeria still practicing democratic system of government.

holuwashezy:
By Lanre AdewoleOn Apr 11, 2020
In an interview electronically-conducted, LANRE ADEWOLE engaged leading lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana, on the state of the nation, coronavirus epidemic controversies and the quality of leadership; handling the attendant socio-economic crises.

Sir, what do you make of this administration’s established propensity to always put the cart before the horse, in making major polices that should be backed by law. What is becoming the norm at the federal and state level is, pronounce the policy first, then scramble around for the enabling law?

The  nation was under all manners of military dictators for close to three decades.  Even though civil rule was restored 21 years ago, the leading characters in the democratic  structures are either former military rulers or those who had served under them. In fact, there was a time the President, the mnister of defence, minister of police affairs, national security adviser, chief of staff and chairman of the ruling political party were all retired generals. So, the civilian government was a quasi military regime. Even though the number of former military rulers has been reduced the mindset of the political and security chiefs has not changed. Public officers are still sacked with immediate effect while people are detained for months or years without trial. The Buhari administration has never hidden its disdain for the rule of law. In some interviews President Buhari has expressed frustration with the slow speed or the accountability prerequisite of a democratic dispensation. The regime has openly justified disobedience of court orders under the pretext of defending national security. It does not seem to appreciate that the security of the State is maintained under the rule of law. Even when the regime was compelled to release Omoyele Sowore and retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki from illegal custody last December based on court orders. it came out to say that it was an act of compassion or generosity. With such praetorian mindset the regime does not consider the legal implications of its actions and policies. Since the dramatis personae in power believe in the rule of might, the government is bound to take decisions without the backing of the law. We are ruled by individuals who believe in the rule of rulers and not in the rule of law.

You no longer sue government for illegality and unconstitutionality of actions, with the same frequency of the past, unlike your mentor, late Gani Fawehinmi, who didn’t stop taking government to court until his death. You appear to have mellowed into advocacy and jurisprudential guidance. Why?

I am afraid your information is not correct. Recently, a bunch of paid lumpen elements staged a protest against me in Abuja for purportedly using the courts to blackmail the federal government. Can you believe that? The fact is that due to increasing wave of official impunity of the government, I have filed  more cases in court than ever before.  Unlike in those days when all our public interest litigation cases were dismissed for want of locus standi the situation has changed due to our persistence and doggedness. We have recorded some huge success in using the instrumentality of the law to challenge official impunity in the country. For instance, our law firm won the case over the right of every child to free and compulsory basic education at the expense of the State. We have won the case to have the People’s Bank restored.  We have won the case that stopped a contractor from collecting cerpac fees from all expatriates in Nigeria.  We have won the case against the regulation banning  police women from marrying suitors of their choice without written permission of a commissioner of police. We won the case against obtaining police permit for rallies and demonstrations by aggrieved citizens and groups. At the same time we have lost many cases while others are pending in courts. One of the cases which we lost at the federal high court has to do with the right of Nigerians to basic health. The case was struck out due to lack of locus standi.  We are pursuing the appeal in view of the threat posed to the health of all citizens by the coronavirus pandemic. In many instances, our public comments and those of others have forced governments to reverse certain illegal policies and unpopular programmes. In such circumstances, we have refrained from going to court.  I am sure that is what you mean by saying that I have resorted to advocacy and jurisprudential guidance.

The presidency of Major General Muhammadu Buhari rarely yields to advocacy and plea, which possibly explains the refusal to withdraw soldiers from COVID-19 regulations enforcement duties despite the killing of innocent Nigerians with their guns. How does one tune the ears of a government like this to the voice of reason?

Whenever the people have persisted in their demand or agitation the regime has been forced to change its position.  For instance, the regime had supported the State Security Service in the illegal incarceration  of Mr. Omoyele Sowore. But when the demand for his release in and outside the court was intensified the regime caved in and released him. Colonel Sambo Dasuki, who had been held for four years was also released. Even with respect to the coronavirus pandemic the regime had said that President Buhari would not address the nation. But when the demand continued the President had to make a broadcast. The soldiers  will be withdrawn from the streets if the pressure is mounted on the regime. While Covid 19 has claimed 6 lives the securify forces have killed 13 people. But for the lockdown I would have rushed to court. I am sure you would recall that I got the federal high court to restrain the armed forces from subjecting Nigerians to the so called positive identification parade last year.

Your regular interventions in public matters suggest two things: it is either the government operators are naive in the matter of constitutional democracy or they just want to be deliberately unconstitutional in their ways. Are dangerous precedents not being set sir and is this not a pointer to the quality of men being elected into public offices?

I have found that many actions of governments are not borne out of mischief. They are based on sheer ignorance. You may call it political naivety. That is what is playing out in the United States where President Donald Trump exhibits such degree of ignorance mixed with arrogance. Contrary to the Linconian definition of democracy as a government of the people by the people and for the people, bourgeois democracy is generally a government of oligarchs or cabals. The crisis of governance is more problematic in a country like Nigeria where democratic structures are weak and the people are not conscious of their rights. With respect, we are largely ruled by ignorance and incompetence. And you know that power mongers who are ignorant are incompetent. Hence they resort to impunity. That is what leads to corrupt practices  in the criminal diversion of public funds, rigging of elections and setting up of a government without regard, in utter breach of constitutional or statutory guidelines.  No regime can change the status quo without involving the people in governance.

The West, particularly, America, returned a damning verdict on the 2019 poll, indicting the military heavily. Since this administration appears to always step out of line in the matter of military deployment, what are those concrete steps, in definite terms, that could be taken by stakeholders before a degeneration would lead to a catastrophe?

The West should not  be the barometer for measuring credible elections in Nigeria. Many local organisations have meticulously exposed the monumental fraud that was perpetrated during the 2019 general election. The most disturbing aspect of the fraud was the use of armed soldiers by the ruling party to intimidate voters. Under the Jonathan administration, the APC filed three cases against the use of soldiers in elections. The APC won the three cases. Little did we know that the APC  was looking for power to use armed soldiers to rig elections like the PDP for whom an election was a do or die affair. The dangerous trend is going to continue unless the Electoral Offences Tribunal is set up to deal with the riggers and manipulators of elections.  More importantly, politics has to be redefined so that political parties can be positioned to serve the interests  of the people.  Right now, politics  has  become a cheap avenue for self enrichment and self aggrandisement. It has nothing to do with  public service.

 Have you seen enough transparency in the distribution of palliative at the federal and state levels, particularly the open money-sharing venture of agents of the central government?

The federal, state and local  governments were not prepared for the kind of emergency that the nation is going through. The  mechanism put in place for reaching out to the people under the Special Adviser on Social Investment, Mrs Maryann Uwais, has been abandoned  by those who wanted to abolish the programme. The cash transfer policy of the federal government was ridiculed by the media, neoliberal ideologues in the government and the private sector people.  Some of the business tycoons who are indebted to the  Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON)  to the tune of over  N5 trillion have questioned why a loan of N10,000 should be given out to a rural person. Those who ran commercial banks aground and plunged the country to toxic debts conspired to scrap the People’s Bank. Even though the federal high court has ordered the federal government to restore the bank the neoliberal handlers of the economy have continued to frustrate the revival of the bank. But the same people are now contributing to the fund being packaged by the federal government to cushion the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the poor and vulnerable segment of the society. Having abandoned the people the governments cannot effectively manage the palliative. The process of distributing the process cannot be transparent because the government is administered on the platform of opacity and secrecy

https://tribuneonlineng.com/falana-explodes-we-are-ruled-by-incompetent-ignorant-lawless-individuals/

helinues:
Falana ran ti ara ee

You were part of those who forced Buhari on Nigerians ... If you made mistake in 2015, mistake in 2019 not acceptable

chennaija:
Typical afonja; same people that championed to elect Buhari. SMH

chennaija:
Typical afonja; same people that championed to elect Buhari. SMH

ebuk4real:


I do ask myself How many turn of circles must we go before we have sense in this country?

Imagine someone like Buhari as our president while prof Osibanjo as one deputizing him?

Nigeria is indeed a weird & absurd congregation of confused people..!!!

[b]For instance, our law firm won the case over the right of every child to free and compulsory basic education at the expense of the State. We have won the case to have the People’s Bank restored. We have won the case that stopped a contractor from collecting cerpac fees from all expatriates in Nigeria. We have won the case against the regulation banning police women from marrying suitors of their choice without written permission of a commissioner of police. We won the case against obtaining police permit for rallies and demonstrations by aggrieved citizens and groups. At the same time we have lost many cases while others are pending in courts. One of the cases which we lost at the federal high court has to do with the right of Nigerians to basic health. The case was struck out due to lack of locus standi. We are pursuing the appeal in view of the threat posed to the health of all citizens by the coronavirus pandemic. In many instances, our public comments and those of others have forced governments to reverse certain illegal policies and unpopular programmes. In such circumstances, we have refrained from going to court. I am sure that is what you mean by saying that I have resorted to advocacy and jurisprudential guidance.[/b]