Groups Kick Against Abuse Of Democratic Processes

Some non-governmental organisations in Rivers State have kicked against the violation of the principles of rule of law and abuse of democratic processes within some quarters in the society.
In a recent interview with The Tide they said such acts were heating up the polity and setting a dangerous precedent for democratic practice in the society.
Chairman of the Civil Liberty Oganisation (CLO) in Rivers State, Sotonye George said democracy as a system of governance harps on the protection of citizens’ rights just as the law of the land must be protected against gross abuses.
He decried a situation where some people flout court judgements and operate above the law, noting that such acts do not augur well for the nation’s democratic growth.
George insisted that for the Nigerian democratic system to be strengthened , there must be a social reordering, and response to the imperatives of justice.
“For democracy to be practised effectively, citizens rights must be respected , court judgments must be obeyed, while freedom of speech must be respected”.
In his views, the President of the Niger Delta Coalition Against Violence (NDCAV), Comrade Lekia Christian advised political actors against heating up the polity by taking laws into their hands, but to play the game by the rules”.
He decried the lack ideological commitment in Nigerian politics and urged Nigerians to protect democracy by respecting its norms and values.
The President of the Ogoni Youth Federation, Legborsi Yaamabana, who also spoke with The Tide, expressed displeasure at some actions of those vested with public responsibilities.
He flayed the authorities of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) over what he described as the secretive nature of handling the Ogoni environmental clean up exercise”.
Yaamabana said the authorities of HYPREP denies critical stakeholders in Ogoni of participation in the clean up exercise, and called for strict adherence to international best practices as recommended by the United Nations Environmental Project, (UNEP).

Taneh Beemene