Prominent human rights attorney and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has raised concerns regarding the attendance of Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Falana pointed out that the NEC is composed of the Vice-President, who serves as the Chairman, the Governor of each State in the Federation, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as established by the Central Bank Act.
During his remarks as the Chairman of Dr. Osagie Obayuwana’s 70th Birthday Lecture, Falana emphasised that since a Sole Administrator is not a member of the NEC, the individual who invited Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas to the meeting has committed a serious breach of the Nigerian Constitution.
He urged President Tinubu to caution the Sole Administrator against further constitutional violations by attending meetings of any other federal executive body.
Falana also challenged the sole administrator over the statement attributed to him, saying the people of Rivers State are testing his will.
Speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubo, Ibas had stated that the gazette imposing emergency rule in the state granted the sole administrator “sweeping powers.”
Falana emphatically stated that the gazette did not grant any power to the administrator whatsoever.
“In fact, it is specifically said that the Sole Administrator shall govern Rivers State on the basis of Regulations issued by President Tinubu. Since the President has not issued any Regulation, all powers so far by the Sole Administrator are ultra vires, illegal, null and void. Without any further delay, the appointment of the Administrator should be terminated,” the legal practitioner stated.
Bago’s Order On Dreadlocks Unlawful – Falana Critices Niger State Governor
Further in his remark, Falana criticized the recent executive order issued by Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, which mandates the arrest and forced shaving of individuals with dreadlock hairstyles as part of a campaign to dismantle the identity and networks of known street gangs.
The human rights lawyer asserted that neither the President’s nor the Governor’s executive orders can establish a criminal offence that is not recognised by law.
Consequently, the governor’s directive to arrest and forcibly shave individuals with dreadlocks is deemed unlawful and unconstitutional.
“In the case of FAITH OKAFOR V. GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE & ANOR. (2016) LPELR-41066 (CA), the Governor of Lagos State issued a directive restricting the movement of citizens and residents during the State’s monthly environmental sanitation, the Court of Appeal unanimously held that the Appellant, Faith Okafor, could not be arrested or prosecuted for disobeying or flouting the Executive Order or Directive of the Governor of Lagos State because the Appellant could only be arrested and prosecuted for an offence that is prescribed in a written law,” Falana noted.
The post Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibas Not Qualified To Attend NEC Meeting – Falana appeared first on Naija News.