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Stay Off Election Petitions, Falana Tells Supreme Court
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has expressed concern over what he calls “tribunalization of the nation’s democracy”, saying it endangers the very essence of democracy in itself.
The renowned legal luminary, who said nowhere else around the world is the mandate of the people being determined at the courts than at the polls, spoke while featuring during a live programme at the Oyo State-owned Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), Ibadan, yesterday.
As a panacea, the Senior Advocate, however, suggested that retired judges should be engaged in electoral petition thereby allowing regular courts to take care of other vital matters.
Falana said, “I am strongly opposed to the idea of empowering the Supreme Court to get involved in governorship election cases. In most parts of the world, it is not the business of the Supreme Court to get involved in local elections and that was the situation in Nigeria until 2011.
“All election petition appeals arising from governorship election, legislative election ended at the appeal court. Among lawyers and judges, that is the thinking; that we have to go back to the status quo ante. We should take advantage of the pool of our retired judges to handle election matters”
On the various preventive measures to tackle the ravaging Coronavirus which has crippled the global economy in the past few months, Falana said the restriction order and total lockdown in some parts of the country are in order but that they should be reviewed periodically to lessen the burden on the citizens.
He frowned at the recent invitation of Chinese medical personnel to tackle Coronavirus cases in Nigeria, saying government should not at this moment frustrate the efforts of local medical workers with inadequate provision of facilities and necessary incentives, adding that our medical doctors are doing well and can compete with others around the world but they lack equipment to work with.
He advocated for the allocation of oil blocs to state governments in the stead of individuals so that the government at the state and local levels can have access to more funds to impact on their people.
“We need to abandon the neo-liberal economic system being practised by Nigeria. There cannot be basis for giving oil blocs to individuals that will turn them to instant billionaires while state governments cannot pay salaries.
“Why don’t you give the oil blocs to state and federal governments so that they will be able to use the money accruing from the sale of the oil blocs to take care of health, education and other key critical sectors?
“This is not the time to pay debts to the detriment of development of our nation. You can’t be cutting capital allocation, while you’re paying debt. The economic stimulus package has to address the crisis in the health, education and other social services”, he noted.
Falana also called for a review of the National Health Act by emphasizing the improvement of hospitals and the national health insurance at local, state and federal levels, noting that if every Nigerian is captured on the National Health Insurance net, nobody would die of any preventable disease.
He urged the country’s leadership to learn from countries like Cuba, a country of 11million population and 400,000 medical doctors with a good number of them being deployed to 15 countries combating COVID-19.
Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.
Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.
While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.
But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.
Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.
Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.
He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.
The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.
“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.
The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.
His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”
Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.
Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.
“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.
The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.
In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.
He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.
“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.
The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.
FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.
“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.
The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.
“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.
The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.
Walson-Jack made this known in Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.
She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.
“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.
According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.
“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.
“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.
Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.
She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.
“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.
“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.
Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.
“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.
“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.