Renowned human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, yesterday weighed in on the letter by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari and cautioned that he should stop insulting the collective intelligence and memories of Nigerians. He said Obasanjo as president instituted the culture of impunity.
Falana who was reacting to questions bordering on the state of the nation in Benin City, said that Obasanjo had the opportunity to make Nigeria great by providing good leadership for the country but failed to do that as a president.
“If president Obasanjo, who ruled this country for eleven and half years has institutionalised democracy, rule of laws, respect for human rights, we will not be in this mess and the control of Nigeria by the Nigerian people, we will be having an Eldorado by now.
“So, please, let Obasanjo and others be honest to admit that they brought us to this shameful episode. So, nobody should grandstand when it comes to the mis-governance of Nigerians.
“Nobody has apologised. The fact that between 1999 to 2007, this country, made close to hundred billion dollars from the sale of one commodity, oil. What is there to show for it rather than permanent darkness?
“The more you spend on energy, the more darkness you get. What is there to celebrate? Mass unemployment, sales of the assets of the country to a few boys, who were closed to the presidency, rigging of elections.
“You have all forgotten that the results from Delta, Ondo and others were announced in Abuja and in those states in order to rig those elections. What is there to celebrate?
“President Obasanjo is entitled to form his own political party or his own movement, but he should please desist from insulting the collective intelligent and the collective memories of Nigerians.”
On the case of Ibrahim Magu, Falana said the celebrated court judgment did not make any pronouncement on the appointment of Mr.Ibrahim Magu as the acting chairman of the EFCC, adding that there is nothing to celebrate. “It is not a judgement to celebrate; with great respect. I have read the judgement of the case filed by a private lawyer based in Abuja, Mr. Tolu Ajaomo against the attorney of the federation and the senate. Mind you, EFCC is not a party; Mr. Ibrahim Magu was not a party. So, no court in Nigeria can make order against a person who was not joined in any suit.
“But having read the ruling, with great respect the case was struck out. If a case was struck out, you cannot rely on it. The court held that the lawyer has no locus standi to have filed the action and therefore struck it out.
“However, in an academic exercise, the court said, having regard to section 2, 3 of the EFCC Act, the Senate has the power to confirm or reject the nomination of the president. The court never ever made any pronouncement on the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the acting chairman of the EFCC. No statement was made to that effect.”
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