Posted by By OLA AGBAJE on
Following the nullification of the election of Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, West Africa Bar Association (WABA) President, Femi Falana has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief Chris Uba who claimed to be the mastermind of the electoral fraud in the state.
Following the nullification of the election of Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, West Africa Bar Association (WABA) President, Femi Falana has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Chief Chris Uba who claimed to be the mastermind of the electoral fraud in the state.
Falana made the call on Sunday while presenting his book: Fundamental Rights Enforcement" to journalists in Lagos.
According to Falana, "without any delay, Chief Chris Uba who had admitted being the mastermind of the rigging of the election should be arrested and prosecuted, because it is a serious crime under the law.
"I had thought that he would cover his head in shame but he came out to say that he had been vindicated. How can a confirmation of a crime by a judicial tribunal be interpreted as vindication?"
The WABA boss insisted that all those who perpetrated the massive electoral fraud during the April 19, 2003 election in the state should be brought to book.
Speaking further, Falana urged President Olusegun Obasanjo to shun any attempt that could lure him into seeking elongation of his tenure as being suggested by third-term campaigners.
He said: "The manipulation of the political system to elongate the tenure of political office holders is the worse form of corruption as it can lead to political instability or even war. The effect could be more corrosive than any form of bribery and financial fraud.
There is no amount of constitutional engineering that can justify the elongation of tenure of those who have been given the mandate to govern for a definite period of time," he said.
He argued that those who are spending second term in office among the political leaders would not be entitled to remain a day beyond May 29, 2007 when the contract they had with the people would terminate, adding that they even swore to an oath to seal the contract.
Consequently, he argued that any attempt to manipulate the constitution or instigate political crisis with the intent to extend the tenure of the President would be subversive of the constitution.
"By virtue of section 6 of the Interpretation Act, the amendment or the complete repeal of the 1999 constitution shall not affect accrued rights, privileges, obligation or liability incurred under the current constitution", Falana stated, explaining that "what that in effect means is that President Obasanjo and other public office holders in Nigeria are under the constitutional obligation to end their tenure in May 2007."