Human rights activist and lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has slammed the Muhammadu Buhari-led government for granting state pardon to former Governors of Plateau and Taraba, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame respectively.
Speaking at the one year remembrance programme for the late Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, Falana said other jailed criminals should get the same privilege.
Naija News reports that the Council of State meeting presided over by President Buhari pardoned the former governors, who were jailed for corruption, alongside 157 others on Thursday.
While stating that the pardon for Nyame and Dariye was wrong, Femi Falana said under the 1999 constitution, there is equality for all citizens.
He said that the state pardon has to be extended to all thieves and criminals serving jail terms in various prisons.
“My reaction is that all criminals, all thieves and criminals in our prisons should be released.
“Because section 17 of the constitution says there shall be equality, equal rights for all citizens and section 42 said there shall be no discrimination on the basis of class, gender, whatever, so you can’t take out two people and leave the rest there. It’s illegal,” he said.
On the 1999 constitution, Falana said it should be referred to as decree 24 on 1999.
He stated that the so called constitution was not duly signed by then Head of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar.
Falana said: “What the National Assembly has continued to do is to amend illegality. The so-called 1999 constitution is really decree 24 of 1999. When you see the so-called constitution, you will not the signature of the man who signed the law, that’s the fraud.
“When you see a law, the name of the person who signed it should be there with the date.
“Decree 24 of 1999 was promulgated by General Abdulsalam Abubakar on the 5th of May 1999 but today you will not see his name on it. It’s a fraudulent document.
“The decree was imposed on us the last set of military dictators in Nigeria headed by Gen. Abubakar and because that document is okay for members of the ruling class regardless of their political parties, ethic regional or religious inclination, they are all comfortable with the document so they can’t do anything about it including all those we are campaigning today to be President.
“It is to retain the status quo and perhaps adjust it here and there, that is the only thing they are saying, so those who are contesting particularly on the platform of the ruling party are saying we are going to continue the programme of the Buhari administration that has put our country in problem.
“Nigeria has become a huge joke in the committee of nations and so for any set of people to say they want to package his rickety vehicle and begin to panel beat it, it’s not going to move.”
This article was originally published on Nigeria News