The Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has expressed worries at the dwindling image and increasing loss of confidence in the judiciary by Nigerians.
Rising from its monthly meeting at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun state, the group in a communique signed by its national leader Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Secretary General, Chief Sola Ebiseni, lamented that it has great implications for the country.
The communique reads that “Afenifere expressed worries at the dwindling image and increasing loss of confidence in the judiciary by the Nigerian people.
” We consider the parade of different versions of judgment on the Kano gubernatorial elections inexplicable with disturbing implications for the security of the state and the entire nation.
“Afenifere opined and reminded the Federal Government and leaders of the judiciary that most crises in Nigeria are always invariably associated with elections and prevarications of the judiciary.
“Afenifere insisted that a country which judiciary cannot be trusted to interpret laws with high degree of certainty and its judgment constantly enmeshed in needless controversy cannot expect the confidence of foreign investors in its economy.
The group also insisted on the ” respect of court orders on the release of detainees like Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho and others and reasoned that continued disrespect for court orders aggravates the level of insecurity in Nigeria.
On the economy, the group said it “shared in the current economic anguish of Nigerians in terms of skyrocketed costs of goods, services and energy.
” We decried current excuses of the state of the economy inherited by this government from its predecessor of the same political party and opined that the period of 3 months between the declaration of the President in February and inauguration at the end of May was sufficient to lay the foundations for the economy policies of the new administration which soothing effects should be now felt by the people.
“Afenifere noted that the free-fall of the Naira in the foreign exchange market is having its toil on all aspects of the people’s life including prohibitive costs of pharmaceutical products which are largely imported and with dire consequences for the health of ordinary Nigerians who could not afford overseas treatment like their leaders.
It opined that “without stabilising the Naira the much sought foreign direct investment will continue to be a mirage.
“Afenifere noted that successive Nigerian government continued to pay only lip service to the diversification of the economy and urged governments at all levels to see beyond oil and gas and focus on agriculture, information technology and industrialisation with the Federal Government fixing the moribund steel industries and refineries.
The group equally, noted that “fixing the economy and development are intertwined with security especially in agriculture wherein armed herders have driven farmers out of the land.
“Afenifere therefore called on the Federal Government to take the bull by the horns by ensuring and insisting on cattle ranching within the states with comparative advantage in the culture and business of animal husbandry.
The group reiterated its advocacy for multi-level policing particularly state police as imperative in a federation and particularly Nigeria with its vast territory.
Judiciary and Rule of Law
Speaking on 2014 National Conference, Afenifere, called on “the Federal government to summon the courage to match and reconcile the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and the reports of the APC (El-Rufai) Committee on Federalism for the holistic restructuring of the federation which shall be enacted into a new constitution.
It reiterated that “Nigeria cannot peacefully, prosperously and progressively endure under the present military imposed constitution having jettisoned the foundational principles of federalism by which the country attained independence and made giant strides at the beginning of the Nigerian project.
“Afenifere noted the salutary efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who, as Governor of Lagos State, successfully in court challenged many anti-federal provisions of the Constitution in several areas including the local government system, revenue of the federation, items in the legislative lists, usurpation of the residual powers of the states including town planning, advertising, by the federal government, control of internal waterways and water fronts, land use, value-added tax etc.
“Now at the central stage is the time for President Tinubu to step forward with the requisite political determination to live for history and mobilize Nigerians to truly enact for ourselves an autochonous federal constitution.
“Afenifere in line with our historical duty as the initiator and unrelenting leading protagonists of a truly federal Nigeria state has put in place necessary mechanisms to soon mobilize and galvanise Nigerians to achieve this objective and called on other well-meaning Organisations and citizens to brace up for this patriotic endeavour.
On electoral reforms, the group, decried “the recurrent rituals of hues and cry for electoral reforms after every national election.
It stated that “Nigerians will continue to be afflicted with electoral brigandage under a constitution which over-concentrates powers at the centre and wherein the President of the Federation openly appoints his party members and lackeys as officials of a supposedly independent electoral commission and managers of elections.
“It cannot be overemphasised that such scenario which will continue to set our people against one another in the evident unrestrained cutthroat competition for power.
The group, however, announced the appointment of Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo as its new National Publicity Secretary.
