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Presidency Destroying Our Democracy – Fayose
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, yesterday urged Nigerians to resist what he described as the rascality of Presidency officials who he said are bent on destroying our hard-earned democracy and emasculating the National Assembly.
The governor said: “The major difference between democracy and dictatorship is the presence of the legislature in democracy and its absence in a dictatorship”, adding that efforts by this administration “to hand-cuff the National Assembly is a subtle plot to foist full-blown dictatorship on Nigerians.
He therefore charged Nigerians to resist such development, saying: “In doing so, we shall be defending our democracy and we shall also be defending ourselves and generations of Nigerians yet unborn. This democracy cost us a lot in blood and sweat.
The labour and sacrifice of the heroes and heroines of our democracy must not be allowed to go in vain”, he said.
The governor made the remarks in a statement released in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, saying it is a shame when the Constitution of the country is violated by Federal appointees and the Presidency keeps silent.
“It confirms that the Presidency is the one behind it. In the uniform saga involving the Comptroller-General of Customs, it is safe to say that the Presidency is in support of Hammed Ali against the National Assembly.
“It is scary that a whole Senate of the Federal Republic has to bow to an appointee who had needed the same Senate to confirm his appointment. In a democracy which thrives on separation of powers, this is tantamount to an invasion of the hallowed chambers of the legislature, in the same manner that we recently witnessed against the Judiciary.
“When the Presidency accepts and defends the arrogance of one man against the time-tested and practice-honoured intricate system of governance, then, the system as a whole has collapsed.
It is even more dangerous that the courts have been dragged into this obvious plot to destroy the legislature just as we recently witnessed a similar plot against the Judiciary itself” “It is an open secret today that many judges are being blackmailed to do the bidding of the Presidency and the ruling party.
It is also embarrassing to ask the Senate to maintain status quo on an issue that borders on the performance of its legislative duty”, he added.
“Presidency appointees are ridiculing and sneering at the Legislature, which is comprised of the elected representatives of the people; Presidency appointees are relentlessly and without remorse tearing the fabrics that bind this country together: What are they turning this country into?
When last did this happen in Nigeria? “Magu’s nomination has twice been rejected by the Legislature; yet, he sits pretty in office: Under what law and by whose authority?
Mrs. Jamila Shu’ara, permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, who should have retired two years ago, is being brazenly kept in the civil service in flagrant violation of extant civil service rules and regulations.
Where else in the civilised world can that happen? “If a power-drunk Presidency is bent on violating the law, why can’t the individuals concerned be men and women of integrity? “What is the essence of sending appointees’ nomination to the Senate? It is so that the Senate, which is the authority constitutionally-saddled with the responsibility to confirm or reject such nominations, can perform its duty. And its decision is biding; not advisory like some chop-and quench lawyers are rationalising.
And no nominee, who fails to pass the Senate hurdle, can sit in the office to which he had been nominated.
“The spirit as well as the letters of our Constitution; and, indeed, the pillars of democratic governance erected this road block to enforce checks and balances and keep the Executive in check because power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely “Otherwise, we shall have dictatorship on our hands and President Buhari would soon become Emperor Buhari in the same mould or even worse than those of Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa and Emperor Idi Amin Dada.
God forbid! Fayose then warned that “the infractions by the President’s men are becoming too often, too many, and achingly intolerable. We run a constitutional government and not a dictatorship. It is a shame that they are all behaving as if Nigeria is a banana republic”.
“What is the essence of sending appointees’ nomination to the Senate? It is so that the Senate, which is the authority constitutionally-saddled with the responsibility to confirm or reject such nominations, can perform its duty. And its decision is biding; not advisory like some chop-and quench lawyers are rationalising. And no nominee, who fails to pass the Senate hurdle, can sit in the office to which he had been nominated.
“The spirit as well as the letters of our Constitution; and, indeed, the pillars of democratic governance erected this road block to enforce checks and balances and keep the Executive in check because power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
“Otherwise, we shall have dictatorship on our hands and President Buhari would soon become Emperor Buhari in the same mould or even worse than those of Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa and Emperor Idi Amin Dada. God forbid!
“Fayose then warned that “the infractions by the President’s men are becoming too often, too many, and achingly intolerable. We run a constitutional government and not a dictatorship. It is a shame that they are all behaving as if Nigeria is a banana republic”.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.