A SAVE OUR SOUL MESSAGE TO MY REPRESENTATIVES:
BY SIR DON UBANI; KSC, JP, OKWUBUNKA OF ASA,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR EQUITY AND ERADICATION OF RURAL POVERTY.
21ST SEPTEMBER, 2017.

The good essence of representative democracy is that, at any given time and on any subject, constituents have the right to express their thoughts through their elected Representatives in various legislative chambers.

Democracy, unlike dictatorship, is responsive to the yearnings of the governed.

For laws to be made, the pulse of the electorate must be felt and measured. In short, the sensibilities and sensitivity of those for whom laws would be made, are put into great consideration.

Professor Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission, has raised alarm over the intention of the House of Representatives to enact into law a Non-Governmental Organization Regulatory Bill, otherwise termed NGO Regulatory Bill.

As the erudite Professor of Law puts it, the law, when made, would simply castrate and emasculate community initiative, philanthropy, development in churches and mosques, civil society organizations and critical appreciation of the role of government.

I had said it repeatedly that the leopard does not change its spot. A pathological dictator can never be a democrat. Such a postulation will always end up as a huge deceit.

Recall that in 1984 when General Buhari was the Military Head of the Nigerian State, he enacted the infamous decree no 4 of 1984.

The decree, which was captioned 'Protection Against False Accusation ', was the most draconian, dreaded, repressive and totalitarian all through the dark era of military dictatorship in Nigeria.

The decree was so heartlessly framed in such a way that offenders had to be tried only by a Military Tribunal.

Nigerians may not have forgotten the fate of two young Nigerian Journalists; Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, both of the Guardian Newspaper, who were jailed on July 4, 1984 by the Buhari authoritarianism.

The current NGO Regulation Bill that has passed first reading, second reading and is at the committee stage is a subterfuge aimed at deceiving and hoodwinking Nigerians into helping in digging their own graves while they are still alive.

I, therefore, on behalf of Centre for Equity And Eradication Of Rural Poverty; a Civil Society Organization that would not escape victimization if this bill becomes a law, urge both Senator Enyi Abaribe and Hon Uzoma Abonta who represent me and some other Trustees of the Centre at the National Assembly to kindly mobilize every legislative instrument and support to make sure this aberration does not see the light of the day.

Executive Director.