Nyesom Wike, Rivers governor, says politicians are acting
contrary to election laws in their conduct.
He said this on Friday at a book launch in honour of Abdu
Aboki, a retired justice of the supreme court, in Abuja.
Although the Rivers governor did not mention any name in
particular, in recent weeks, he has been one of those asking Iyorchia Ayu, the
national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — his party — to
resign.
The call for Ayu to resign is said to be on the grounds that
it is contrary to the party’s democratic process for the PDP presidential
candidate and national chairman to be from the same region.
Speaking further on Friday, the Rivers governor also accused
the federal government of neglecting the rule of law, adding that with the
current challenges, the country is “headed for hard rocks”.
“The federal government continues to undermine the rule of law,
while political parties and party leaders continue to exhibit utter arrogance
and disdain for the electoral laws and the democratic process in their actions
and conduct,” he said.
“With cries of injustice, discrimination and inequities
everywhere and with the risen instability and deterioration of law and order,
only the undiscerning would believe that Nigeria is not headed for the hard
rocks.”
Speaking on the judiciary, Wike said the federal government
should resolve the challenges affecting effective justice delivery, adding that
his state has done well in that regard.
“The judiciary dies where it lies comatose and removed from
the aspirations of the citizens for good governance, the rule of law, the
protection of fundamental rights and the guarantee of free and fair elections,”
he said.
“The judiciary dies when it can easily be manipulated; when
justice can be procured; when the injustice is rendered in place of justice to
the aggrieved parties; or when resort to self-help and other means of redress
outside the law becomes the preferred norm by citizens.
“Let us, therefore, continue to call on the federal
government to strengthen our judiciary system by resolving the challenges
militating against judicial effectiveness as I have done in Rivers state, where
we have continued to prioritise the independence of the judiciary and improved
the working and living conditions of our judges beyond measure.”
According to a statement by Kelvin Ebiri, his spokesperson,
Wike also said despite the challenges, the Nigerian judicial system has what it
takes to guarantee justice “only when the judiciary is able to assert itself
without fear or favour, upholding the truth at all times and standing up to any
other power or principality that attempts to undermine or override its
constitutional responsibilities, powers and processes”.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com