BIn bisecting the consideration to obtain foreign assistance to combat a local
insurgency, I ran into serious balancing of the inherent advantages and
disadvantages of the proposition and its prospects.
With the aid of bio-luminescence and biomechanics, which study the structure of
living creatures and how they shed light on matter, I concluded that a state
that is overwhelmed by internal or external forces could solicit for assistance
to defence its territorial integrity and political independence.
When I remembered that some Nigerian local dissident formations had taken up
arms against the Federal Republic in historical time, and how we overcame
without foreign assistance, I recommend that we apply extreme caution before
some distant enemy of a friend becomes a reason for future regrettable
situations in Nigeria.
When a foreign friend chooses your enemy for you, you lose control. There are
contemporary cases to learn from. Let us continue to engage our country men and
remind them that they have no other state that they can call their own. They
should not push our country to the brink.
If it is proven that a hated organization is their motivator, the
Pakistanisation of Nigeria, in which drones will be put in service over Nigeria,
will cause brain damage, constant fear, insecurity and ugliness. In this Ramadan
period, may Allah save us from chaos.
May the River Niger, the River Benue, Olumo Rock, Aso Rock, and other mountains
in Nigeria, which we all met here and will leave behind, intervene in this
matter. Those, who under the shibboleth of bringing in foreign assistance to
help fight local dissidents must “shine their eyes.”
Keeping Nigeria safe is the responsibility of our armed forces. I would have
lectured more on this delicate matter, but a word is sufficient for our wise
compatriots. EMA KOBA WA O!
Judge Salami
My second topic deals with the degenerate status of our national politics. I am
convinced that the Nigerian nation has been gripped by the occult brotherhood,
made up of psychics and mystics, powerful mediums, reincarnated apostates,
spirits, visionaries and stigma tics, false prophets and seers.
Some of our politicians believe in occult and paranormal practices, although
there also frauds, cheats and charlatans.
There is an impressive body of men and women in our country, who are wondering
where we are headed as a nation. Violating all the rules of etiquette, good
manners and decorum, two former Nigerian rulers have engaged in vitriolic
exchanges of indecorous nature. They should know better.
The amazing story of the NJC contemptuous action in disregarding the merits of a
suit lying in a Court of Law is disingenuous.”Equity will not permit a wrong to
be without a remedy”. The judicial remedy which Judge Salami seeks must be
subject to judicial processes for a judgment to be arrived at. There is a
jurisprudential maxim that says that matters properly brought before a judge
sitting in court of competent jurisdiction shall not be interfered with,
frustrated or truncated. In this case, justice must be seen to be done.
INEC
Thirdly, if INEC purports to de-register political parties that did not win
votes and did not perform well in the last elections based on the current
Electoral Laws, our researchers may wish to find out the position of the
Constitution on the matter. If INEC violates the constitutional stance, then
their actions will be null and void. It is like saying that an Olympic
competitor, who came last in a race, should be barred from competing in
subsequent events!
The idea of forming political parties is to enable citizens organize a group of
like-minded compatriots, with their perception of how a state should be better
governed. They should be allowed to canvass their view until they are accepted
by the populace.
INEC’s decision violates the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights, which
was adopted in 1981 in Nairobi, Kenya, by the Assembly of African Heads of State
and Governments of the Organisation of African Unity, which Nigeria ratified on
22 June 1983.
Article 13, affirms that “Every citizen shall have the right to participate
freely in the government of his country, either directly, or freely chosen
representatives of his country in accordance with the provision of the law.”
The rights of citizens to participate in the government of their countries,
either as political aspirants or voters, are hereby legitimized. To deny this
right is a violation of an international treaty of which Nigeria is a
participant. Article 13 (b) grants citizens” the right of equal access to the
public service of their country”
The force of an international legal provision is weightier that a national
constitutional provision. INEC must reverse its decision and BOSAS INTERNATIONAL
LAW BUREAU, Abuja, hereby publicly puts INEC on notice of a prolonged court
process to make it reverse its decision.
The organization, nurturing and building of a political party, takes time. The
Spanish Socialist party came to power after many decades of political activism.
There are many political parties in China, USA and Britain, which have never won
and election, but have not been de-registered.
De-registration is followed by proscription to act as a political organization
or party. Democracies do not behave arbitrarily.
From the wisdom and foresight of a de-registered party can come ideas that can
transform the political fortunes of a state. The Bolshevik Party after its
turbulent existence took power in 1917 in Russia, after it went underground.
If INEC continues to de-register parties based on its subjective assessment of
their performance, through attrition, only a few parties will remain.
Universally, only parities that engage in anti-democratic, sinister, fascist and
unacceptable behavior can be de-registered. As long as parties fund themselves,
the members should be allowed to exist and canvass their political
theories/ideologies for the populace to evaluate. A political party convinced
against its will is of the same opinion still.
The Federal Government has often appointed men and women from parties that did
not win elections. So where does this rejectionist postulate come from?
People have a right to hold and expound political views, be they Erastians,
Aristotelians, Machiavellians, Euclidians, Pythagoreans, Royalists, Utopians,
Radicals and Communists, Hegelians, Epicureans, Spartans, and people, who accept
the political theories of Socrates, Plato and the political ideals of
transformation.
Professor Dr. Emmanuel Omoh Esiemokhai, a Writer and Academic, is the Academic
Chancellor, BOSAS INTERNATIONAL LAW BUREAU, Abuja, MNigeria.
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