- Says We”ll Continue To Promote Rule Of Law, Tolerate Dissenting Voices Within Ambit Of Law
Following scathing allegation of fascism, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed to keep promoting the rule of law, adhere to the principles of separation of powers, and tolerate dissenting views within the ambit of the laws of Nigeria.
This, he said, explains why since he assumed office, his administration had been making steady progress in rebuilding the nation through legal and judicial reforms.
The President made the vow on Sunday when he declared open the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos.
The Matrix reports that Tinubu administration has come under scathing criticism of being fascist in recent times.
Earlier on Sunday, activist politician, Omoyele Sowore had hinted that the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ahmed Abubakar resigned over his unwillingness to carry out human rights violations and abuses planned by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
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Sowore said: “Just one #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria revolt, @officialABAT and his goons squad have detained 2000 protesters, killed 40 peaceful protesters, injured many, including 27 journalists, abducted whistleblowers, raided the offices of @NLCHeadquarters and harassed members of their families.
“I think this is why the NIA DG resigned; having helped @mbuhari to commit several atrocities, including the abduction and extraordinary rendition of @MaziNnamdiKanu, he couldn’t continue with the scale of violations and abuse planned for Nigerian by the Tinubu regime. Or maybe he was just below par for the task ahead!
“The darkest days are here, but we MUST all roundly reject and RESIST. This is full-blown fascism. Let everyone take a position NOW. A #REVOLUTION is INEVITABLE at this point. #FearlessInOctober #RevolutionNow #freePIDOMNIGERIA #TakeItBack.”
Reacting to the accusations, President Tinubu, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima vows to tolerate dissenting voice, howbeit, within the ambit of the law.
“Let me reassure you all that this administration will continue to promote the rule of law, adherence to the principles of separation of powers and tolerance of dissent within the bounds of the law,” he declared.
The President implored Nigerian lawyers and other citizens to join hands with his administration in resolutely working towards a Nigeria of everybody’s dreams, saying the nation cannot continue to toe the path threaded in the past, if it must achieve sustainable development.
He assured that though making difficult decisions to change the way things were being done in the past would produce hard results, his administration’s policies and actions will bring relief to Nigerians very soon.
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President Tinubu noted: “Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, while I acknowledge the temporal existence of some daunting challenges besetting us as a nation, I would like to urge you all not to adopt a defeatist approach; rather, we should remain resolute in working for a country of our dreams.
“It is obvious that Nigeria as a nation cannot continue to sojourn on the trajectory of the past if we must be assured of sustainable development; hence, the need to sanitize the Augean stable and chart a proper course of rebuilding the nation.
“I acknowledge that altering the status quo requires difficult decisions and changes, which also inevitably come with hard outcomes. However, I am confident that this is a passing phase and our policies and actions, as an administration, are bound to usher in relief in no distant time.”
The President thanked the Supreme Court for consistently sustaining good governance and the tenets of democracy in Nigeria, citing the recent verdict of the highest court in the land which granted financial autonomy to the local government councils.
The judgment, he noted, “will spur the much-desired developments at the grassroots level,” even as he expressed confidence “that more of such strategic and reform-oriented legal interventions will be achieved” by the third arm of government.
On the part of the executive arm, President Tinubu restated his administration’s commitment to continue making the welfare of the judiciary a top priority of his administration.
He stated: “I want to assure the Learned members of the Bench and the Bar that this government will continue to accord top priority to the welfare of the judiciary to ease avoidable burden on their Lordships and speed up the adjudicatory process which is a sine qua non for social order and economic development.
“It is, therefore, my fervent expectation that the NBA would provide the appropriate legal compass for all persons, government, and businesses towards rebuilding our dear nation”.
He outlined efforts being made by his administration in reforming the judiciary including signing the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) Act 2024, leading to a 300% increase in the remuneration of our judicial officers, and putting in place the full complement of Justices of the Supreme Court.
The President also disclosed that his administration “is also working on the construction of a permanent and befitting edifice for the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.
“Furthermore, provisions are being made to provide conducive accommodation for federal judicial officers within the Federal Capital Territory. All these are part of measures to boost the independence, welfare, and capacity of the judiciary,” he added.
President Tinubu applauded the theme, “Pressing Forward: A National Posture for Rebuilding Nigeria,” chosen by the NBA for this year’s annual national conference, just as he commended the Association for always being part of “the vanguard for initiating and driving reforms to stimulate economic growth and development”.
