* Challenge Media to defend Freedom of Speech with Responsibility
*Only High profile Govt.officials, Top brass Criminals can celebrate as over 160 million Nigerians are extremely poor.
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A Renown Human Rights Activist and a Lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN has described the just celebrated 25 years of uninterrupted Democracy as a mere transition to Civil Rule to Civil as it lacked democratic ethos and has successively inflicted sufferings on the citizenry.
Just as he lamented at the worsening standard of living of Nigerians with over 160millions out 200 millions are now faced with Multi Dimensional poverty, making the the country the worst place to live.
He said only the High Profile Government Officials and highbrow Criminals who are feasting on the vulnerability of the state resources that can celebrate, as the majority of NIgerians who are yoked down by excruciating poverty and absence of Democratic gains would not afford to mark a day dedicated to Democracy.
The Legal Luminary and Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana SAN stated this on Wednesday as a quest on AIT Kakaki morning show programme and monitored in Lokoja.
The Legal Luminary noted that the 25 years of uninterrupted Democracy has fallen short of the expectations of Nigerians, who fought with the last drop of their blood to enthrone democracy but were disappointed with the turns of event that has reduced them to sub humans in the comity of Nations.
He said, the democratic credentials which include, Free speech, Rule of law and the state’s primary responsibility of protection of lives and property, welfare and well-being of the people has been treated with levity.
He said , there is nothing to celebrate about this present democracy in Nigeria, except the change of National Anthem, adding the the present administration of Tinubu has successfully thrown over 160 million Nigerians into poverty net, a situation that has conferred the Country as the Poverty headquarters in the world.
He added that the much talk about Democracy Day was just a transition to Civil to civil rule without corresponding favourable impact on the people, arguing that most of the existing infrastructures across the country were executed by dictatorial regimes which are far better than what we have at the moment.
On the Minimum wage imbroglio, Falana has this to say” It is not the Government that supposed to determine minimum wage. Section 3 of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, the FG is to set up tripartite commīttee which it has done. They are supposed to agree on a figure, send to President for a bill to the National Assembly for an Act. If you want Government to fix the Minimum wage, it will offers starvation wage . The Government has made living condition extremely difficult for the people.
” To me whatever the FG will send to National Assembly does not matter. What is important and I challenge the Organised Labour Unions to ensure that welfare laws are implemented to the letter. They should ensure that National Health Insurance Scheme, National Housing Insurance Scheme, Child Right Act, others become fully functional to provide safety nets for the people. Look at the 19trn Pension funds lying idle . They should not allow government to borrow the fund but to ensure its effective utilisation to provide affordable housing for the workers” He advised.
He challenge the Government and it’s Security Agencies not to rail road the obnoxious decrees into the administration of criminal justice,and to be abreast with the provisions of the Amended Cybercrime Act of 2024. He said, the Cybercrimes amended Act has expunged cyberstalking, libel imputations from the amended Act, saying what is still criminalise is using computer derivatives to send pornographic materials and messages capable of causing breach of law and order.
He warned the Police and other security services to desist from using published stories by Journalists about individual or groups to begin to hunt them, saying anyone offended by the publish story can seek redress in court rather than using the security apparatus to muscle the press.
He cited a case between late Jimmy Nwobodo of old Anambra state in 1983, where Arthur Nwankwo was detained by the police for sharing campaign posters of his party PRP which the Governor Nwobodo considered injurious to his person.
He said, the Court of Appeal ruling in the case was explicit and charged Law enforcement officers to note that the freedom gained from the colonial Masters to speak out and criticise Government should not be allowed to be taken away, adding that criticism is indispensable in a Democracy.
He urged Journalists to seek redress in court whenever their Rights are impinged by the agents of state, and advising them to show utmost responsibility and strictly adhere to the ethics of the profession.
