For Nigeria to get out of the mess caused by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi said, the 2023 general election should not be based on religion or tribe but, on character and competence in leadership.
Addressing the ongoing 62nd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held in Lagos Obi said, the country’s woes have gotten so bad that the 2023 election would not be about religion or tribe but about who has the character and competence to deliver the country from its current mess.
The Labour Party flag-bearer said, “Nigeria is in a mess. We got here simply because of the accumulative effect of bad leadership. The coming election is not about tribe or religion but about character and competence. We need a bold transition from a highly secured state to a highly secured state.”
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in his speech at the conference, decried the level of poverty, insecurity and unemployment in the country.
The former Vice President said, “Since the return of democracy in 1998/99, Nigeria has never found itself in such a very critical point in our history”, adding that history now beckoned on Nigerians to tackle the negative developments.
“This is where history and experience beckon on us to make sure that we don’t get it wrong at this point in time otherwise if we get it wrong. I don’t know when we will ever get it right.
“I have been involved in the struggle to return this country to democracy in the time of military days. In fact, I can even say I was even lucky to be alive because so many of my contemporaries have been killed in this struggle but by the grace of God I have survived till this point in time,” he said.
In his speech, the APC presidential running mate, Kashim Shettima, assured Nigerians that the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, would replicate the “wonders” of Borno and Lagos State in Nigeria if elected in 2023.
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The former governor of Borno State said Tinubu’s administration would address the issues of the economy and security, amongst others.
According to Shettima: “Nigerians have the capability to see through the worn-out rhetoric and sophistry of pretentious politicians. Nigerians should follow the man wey know the road. From day one, we will hit the ground running. We’ll promptly address the issue of the economy, others and security.
“We have the antecedents. I built some of the best schools in Nigeria. Go to Borno and see wonders; you will never believe that it is a state in a state of war. So, we are going to replicate our achievements in Lagos, in Borno and some of the frontline states so that our nation will be a better place. The fundamental issue is pure leadership.”
Also speaking, an award-winning novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, has said Nigerians do not have enough leaders to look up to in the current system and advocated for an uncorrupted judicial system.
She called on the NBA to leverage technology in judicial process and the administration of justice in the country, adding that, “Nigerians are disillusioned because they know of the decline of professionalism in some sections of the legal profession. As the NBA continues to fight the abuse of power, it must also look inward not to be corrupted”.
Adiche, in her keynote address, said Nigerians must be fair in their criticisms before peace can thrive and they should become responsible before holding the leaders responsible.
She said, “As long as we refuse to untangle the knot of injustice, peace cannot thrive. If we don’t talk about it, we fail to hold leaders accountable and we turn what should be transparent systems into ugly opaque cults.
Meanwhile, A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), while welcoming lawyers to Lagos for the Conference, advised them to adopt urgent measures to end the illegal arrest and detention of innocent citizens by the police and other law enforcement agencies.
He urged the 125 branches of the NBA to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which has abolished the arrest and detention of citizens for civil wrongs and breach of contract.
While noting that, the law has also made provisions for legal representation of suspects in police stations, bail for suspects and humane treatment of detained suspects, Falana said the leadership of the association should pressurise the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to designate Judges to conduct monthly visits to the detention facilities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, ICPC, NDLEA, Customs, armed forces, State Security Service in line with the provisions of section 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and section 70 of the Police Establishment Act.
Nigerian lawyers, he said, should apply the provisions of the Anti Torture Act, 2017 to end the torture of suspects and other people in Nigeria and that, the police and other law enforcement officers be made to know that the penalty for subjecting suspects to torture is 25 years imprisonment and that officers who torture suspects to death are liable to be tried for murder.
In addition to the prosecution of torturers, he said victims of torture are entitled to sue for monetary compensation.
“We call on the NBA leadership to liaise with the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission to ensure that a lawyer is assigned to every police station in Nigeria to monitor human rights compliance in accordance with the provision of section 66(1) of the Police Establishment Act”, Falana, who is Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB) said.
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2023 election should not be based on religion, tribe but character, competence ― Peter Obi
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