Judiciary reform: NBA faults Katsina Alu’s inclusion in panel
on OCTOBER 27, 2011 · in LAW & HUMAN RIGHTS

By Oamen Areguamen

The Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja Branch, has condemned the inclusion of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Aloysius Kastina Alu in a panel set up by the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapha to look into the problem of the Judiciary and make recommendations towards improving the system.

The Legal body said Justice Kastina has been part of the problem that necessitated the setting up of the said panel by the new CJN in the first case .

The Ikeja NBA while opposing his inclusion said that a “problem” cannot be made to be part of the solution and urged the Hon. Chief Judge Dahiru Musdapha, to remove him from the panel if Nigerians will take the CJN’s recommendation seriously.

The Ikeja Bar also condemned the Federal Government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy.

The president of the Branch Mr. Adebamigbe Omole, in a press briefing told Journalists that “This Government has claimed that close to N l.2 trillion will be committed this year to the payment of subsidy on fuel.

We are tempted to ask whether there is any subsidy in the first instance? If there is subsidy is it up to the amount quoted considering the high level of corruption that goes on in the various government departments? Why do we have fuel subsidy? Is it not due to the failure of government and inability of successive government to be proactive in projecting into the future by building and maintaining refineries?

“If successive governments have failed in their duties to provide the good life for Nigerians, it will be morally unjustifiable for any government to want to inflict more pains on Nigerians.

“Government needs to be responsible and responsive to the yearnings of its citizenry. Power belongs to the people, sovereignty lies with the people and any government that believes it derives it’s powers from the people must be prepared at all times to respect the wishes of the people Nigerians at this time say no to removal of fuel subsidy.

Democracy is all about the majority having its way while the minority will have its say. The aggregate consensus of opinion of majority of Nigerians today is that they say no to removal of fuel subsidy. It is thus insensitive and overbearing of the government to insist on the removal of the so called subsidy as no responsive and responsible government will impose its will on the people especially where majority of the people have seen such as a way of inflicting further pains on them.” He stressed.

The legal practitioners also condemned the arrest and detention of the nation’s newspapers editors and staff describing it as “barbaric without due respect for the rule of law”.While demanding the Inspector General of Police to tender an unreserved public apology to these journalists who were traumatized and incarcerated, adding that failure to comply, it would commence an action against the police to seek an appropriate redress at the law court”.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/judiciary-reform-nba-faults-katsina-alu%E2%80%99s-inclusion-in-panel/