Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate
of Nigeria and human rights advocate, has replied Presidential spokesman, Garba
Shehu over allegations that he was seeking media attention for accusing
President Muhammadu Buhari of nurturing a third term agenda.
“The popularly acclaimed human
rights lawyer and formerly unsuccessful opposition candidate for governor of
Ekiti state, Femi Falana, has boarded the free-publicity train, full of those
seeking personal media attention in claiming the president is planning a third
term in office. To repeat: All and every claim that is made that suggest
President Muhammadu Buhari will stand for a third term in office is false,”
Garba Shehu wrote on Monday.
Falana fired back on Tuesday
night:”By now, I expect the Presidency to have realised that I have been as
constant as the northern star in the defence of human rights, democracy and
rule of law”.
He then chronicled the basis of
his suspicions that a third term agenda for Buhari may be afoot, beginning from
the fact that the campaigners have not been attacked by presidential aides.
“The Presidency has decided to
attack me for challenging the support groups and APC leaders that are behind
the third term campaign. Even though the campaigners are well known to the
security agencies they have not being attacked by the Presidency.”
Below is Falana’s reply
The third term agenda for
President Muhammadu Buhari kicked off on September 21, 2019 under the auspices
of “Movement For the Approval Of Buhari Third Term.” The members of the group who
launched the campaign in Abuja were not harrassed by the Police or the State
Security Service. The Presidency did not deem it fit to disown or dissociate
itself from the campaign.
However, following the popular
rejection of the campaign the Presidency issued a statement on October 2, 2019
to “correct internet-based gossip and un-informed media commentary regarding
presidential term limits, given credence by so-called support groups, staging
street demonstrations asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do a third term.”
In rejecting the pressure of the
“so called support groups”, President Buhari stated last month that ” I am not
going to make the mistake of attempting a third term. Beside the age, I swore
by the holy book that I would go by the constitution and the constitution said
two terms. I know that I am in my last term and I can afford to be reckless,
because I am not going to ask for anybody’s vote.”
But shortly after the official
denial of the thrd term agenda, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), Mr. Charles Enya filed suit no. FHC/AI/CS/90/19 at the Federal High
Court in Abakiliki praying for the amendment of section 137(1) (b) and 182 (1)
(b) of the Nigerian Constitution to allow for a third term for the President
and the state Governors. In succumbing to public pressure to drop the suit Mr.
Enya announced in court that he had decided to discontinue the matter to allow
for “further consultations”. The APC which had threatened to sanction Mr. Enya
for filing the suit has since maintained sealed lips! It is pertinent to recall
that after the dismissal of Mr. Enya’s suit, a bill for a 6-year single term of
office for the President and the 36 state governors was sponsored by a member
of the APC in the House of Representatives. In order not to promote the third
term agenda through the back door the bill was unanimously rejected by the
House members.
Notwithstanding the official
denial of the third term agenda the Buhari regime has since intensified its
campaign for the emasculation of the opposition and constriction of the
democratic space. This has been manifested in the subversion of the rule of law
through disobedience of court orders, sponsoring of anti media bills and
reckless arrest, detention and prosecution of the perceived enemies of the
federal government. Peaceful meetings and rallies against unpopular policies of
the government are violently suppressed while crowds are rented to attack
groups and citizens who challenge authoritarian rule in the land. Yesterday,
armed thugs unleashed violence on peaceful protesters at Abuja with the
connivance of a detachment of the Nigeria Police Force. One of the leaders of
the protesters, Mr. Deji Adeyanju who was severely injured by the thugs has
been hospitalised. Up till now, no arrest has been made by the Police.
Since this is the route that has
been followed to pave way for the third term agenda of incumbent Presidents in
Guinea, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire, I was compelled to urge Nigerians not to
dismiss the campaign of the “so-called support groups, staging street
demonstrations asking President Muhammadu Buhari to do a third term.” The
Presidency has decided to attack me for challenging the support groups and APC
leaders that are behind the third term campaign. Even though the campaigners
are well known to the security agencies they have not been attacked by the
Presidency.
However, for filing suits in the
courts to challenge official impunity I have been accused of engaging in
judicial blackmail by sponsored agents of the State. By now, I expect the
Presidency to have realised that I have been as constant as the northern star
in the defence of human rights, democracy and rule of law. In 1992, my
colleagues and I fought the “hidden agenda” for the tenure extension of
military President Ibrahim Babangida. We were charged with treasonable felony.
The case was however struck out in our favour.
We fought the plan of the late
General Sani Abacha to metamorphose from a military dictator to a civilian
President through the manipulation of a discredited political transition
programme. Some of us were detained for 10 months without trial. In 2006, I was
also involved in the campaign against the third term agenda of President
Olusegun Obasanjo. Like now, I was accused of spreading false rumours!
Finally, in denying the third
term agenda President Buhari said that he “can afford to be reckless”. Since we
are not a conquered people we are not going to allow the President to be
reckless in the exercise of his powers in so far as as they are limited by the
Constitution!
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