₦airaland Forum

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has said that President Muhammadu Buhari should feel embarrassed by the antagonism of the police towards the resume or resign protest that rocked the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja, last week.

He also said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) should apologise to Charles Oputa, an entertainer popularly known as Charly Boy, who led the protest.

In a statement issued by the senior lawyer on Sunday, Falana gave instances where Buhari led protests as a private citizen without harassment or assault from the police.

He said: “It is pertinent to remind the presidency and the Nigeria Police Force that President Buhari had, in the recent past, taken part in peaceful rallies in Abuja to protest alleged manipulation of election results and perceived injustice in the country.

“It is on record that as he exercised his fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly with other Nigerians on such occasions he was never subjected to any form of assault or intimidation by the police.

“By providing ‘adequate security’ for the pro-Buhari demonstrators while harassing the anti –Buhari protesters the police engaged in the violation section 42 of the constitution which has prohibited discrimination on grounds of political opinion.

“To that extent, the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force should apologise to Mr. Charlie Oputa and other members of the ‘our mumu don do’.

“No doubt, the violent disruption of the anti-Buhari rally ought to have embarrassed President Buhari who had advised President Yaradua, in a similar situation, to step aside as he could no longer discharge the duties and functions of his office.”

Falana further cited a September 2003 protest by the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) which was disrupted.

According to him, “the police authorities justified the disruption by claiming that the organizers of the rally did not obtain a police permit.

“Completely aggrieved by the action of the police, Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the ANPP instructed our law firm to sue the inspector general of police to justify the legal validity of asking for police permit before protesting against the government.”

He said the presiding judge of the case had identified protests as a recognised form of expression in a democracy.

http://dailypost.ng/2017/08/13/buhari-feel-police-harassment-protesters-falana/?opt=list_auto&app=h5_iflow&reco_id=4fa3bd8c-5933-4e20-bfd4-29b142bb9628&rs=prof&channel_id=10069901&entry1=card&entry2=more&entry=browser&uc_param_str=dnfrpfbivesscpgimibtbmntnijblaupdsoggdnw

Land for sale!

YES!! and he is branded Mr. Integrity!!

clarocuzioo:
YES!! and he is branded Mr. Integrity!!

Mr integrity my foot!

Hypocrisy of the highest order. We have an Acting President, why can't you blame him? Or is it because he's Yoruba?

Falana take time ooo!!

clarocuzioo:
YES!! and he is branded Mr. Integrity!!

rengsho:
Mr integrity my foot!

Buhari was in UK. If anyone is to be blamed it should be Osinbajo.

Stop being controlled by your hate for Buhari. Use to head.

OurYansh:
Buhari was in UK. If anyone is to be blamed it should be Osinbajo.

Stop being controlled by your hate for Buhari. Use to head.

Buhari #ReturnOrResign

We must tell the man (Buhari) who said he had integrity, the man who asked Yar’Adua to resign in 2010 when he was sick, the same thing he said to the late president is the same request we are making to him. A President that has been sick for 94 days would resign if he has integrity.”

rengsho:
Buhari #ResumeOrResign

We must tell the man (Buhari) who said he had integrity, the man who asked Yar’Adua to resign in 2010 when he was sick, the same thing he said to the late president is the same request we are making to him. A President that has been sick for 94 days would resign if he has integrity.”

YarAdua failed to handover to the vice president thus creating a power vacuum. Buhari handed over properly, so both cases are completely different.

OurYansh:
YarAdua failed to handover to the vice president thus creating a power vacuum. Buhari handed over properly, so both cases are completely different.

You said power has fully been transmitted to Osinbajo but he could not even allocate portfolio to ministers? The acting President Yemi Osinbajo has been unable to take concrete decisions that could move the nation forward.


Buhari is not greater than Nigeria and he cannot continue to hold the nation to ransom because he is sick. He should resign and allow another person to take over, it is not as if we hate him, we love him and we pray for his quick recovery. It is not about a person, it is about the country.
#ReturnOrResign #OurMumuDonDo

OurYansh:
Buhari was in UK. If anyone is to be blamed it should be Osinbajo.

Stop being controlled by your hate for Buhari. Use to head.

And you did not use your head to understand that Osibanjo is coordinating the National Affairs for Buhari while he's in London taking the major decisions