By Ehi Ekhator
A Delta State group, Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (FHRACC) has condemned the position of the President, Muhammadu Buhari on judiciary and prosecution of corrupt government officials.
Buhari, while answering questions on Al-Jazeera correspondent, Martin Dennis in Qatar had responded to questions concerning the prosecution of corruption officials. The President said “it is easy to say we have not recorded a high profile conviction but there must be court processes. HOwever, with the revelations coming out from the arms probe, you can imagine where Dasuki will end up.”
According to the National President, Alaowe Cleric Esq, the commented credited to the President shows he has already condemend the accused before judiciary judgement.
Alaowei said ” The said comment by Mr President is an executive judgment, an exercise of judicial function. He is usurping the powers of the judiciary in contravention with the doctrine of separation of powers. Nigeria is ruled by constitution and not by military fiat.”
“As far as our Constitution is concerned, Dasuki or anybody standing trials in court is as innocent as every Nigerian until pronounce guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. It is not in President Buhari’s position to pronounce judgment against an accused person.”
“He cannot appoint himself as a judge in the matter he is the complainant. We are beginning to worry if the court will be allowed to carry out its functions without being unduly influenced by the executive arm now that Mr President is busy meddling with the affairs of the judiciary. Nigerians will not sit idly by to allow our judicial system to be overtaken by the executive arm under a constitutional democracy. This is a threat to our hard-worn democracy and we will resist it with all vigour. Democracy has come to stay and it must be allowed to strive.
“It’s a trite principle of our judicial system that an accused is entitled to fair trial in a court of law sanctioned by the 1999 Constitution (as amended). A bill of attainder where someone is convicted without trial is not known in our judicial system and we must not allow it to stand. We do not know whether the refusal of the Federal Government to release Dasuki upon being granted freedom by the courts is a manifestation of the Government plans to exercise executive discretion in judicial affairs. A country cannot survive in a constitutional democracy without the executive, the legislative and the judicial arms to live side by side with one another with absolute freedom from each other.
“We want to inform Mr President that democracy is founded on rule of law and thus he must allow it to pride under our democracy. We are calling on people of goodwill and lovers of democracy to be alive to defend our democracy with all legal necessities.”
Many Nigerians particularly the main opposition members, the Peoples Democratic Party had complained that Buhari is out of hate and politics, prosecuting only members of the opposition.
Others expressed anger over Buhari continuous involvement in the prosecution of alleged corrupt politicians.
Dasukigate: Buhari is preempting the judiciary decision - Dellta Group
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