• Wants 4 Buhari’s ministers probed
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Archbishop of Enugu Province and Bishop, Enugu Diocese Anglican Communion, Emmanuel Chukwuma, has advocated a legislation that would ensure all election matters are dispensed with before inauguration of new executives or legislators.
He also called on the 10th National Assembly to amend necessary laws to ensure, subsequently, people were not sworn into offices that were still being contested in the normal courts or the election petition tribunals, insisting that it is unjust for one to use state funds and powers to prosecute his election matter to the disadvantage of his opponent.
The archbishop, who was addressing a pre-synod press conference, yesterday, at the Bishop’s Court Independent Layout Enugu, said: “Our call in this synod is that the 10th Assembly should amend the necessary laws to ensure, subsequently, all pending court cases/election petitions should end before the inauguration of a new president or governors. Legislations must focus on people-oriented laws. Nigerians of all tribes and religions must rise this one time and say though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we truly stand.”
Chukwuma, who said the theme of the synod which is the third Session of the 16th Synod of the Diocese starting today, to end on Sunday and which is his last before retirement, is “continuing in the faith,” urged the Christians and, indeed, Nigerians not to be despaired because of the hardship and disappointments of the institutions and leaders in the country.
He said: “There is no doubt that people in this country are passing through a very difficult time. We’ve all seen the election that was held with all the efforts made by people in the country to make sure a credible election was done. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) promised us a fair, credible and honest election. But unfortunately, what we saw at the end of it was that INEC disappointed us. Most of the elections in some areas were rigged.
“Not only that, we found that what is happening today and in tribunals, the evidence as it is being made and being presented is not being taken seriously by the court. So, we are looking unto the judiciary to do the needful to make sure the truth and justice is done, to make us to have a credible and trustworthy election.
“It is true that the present government has taken the election as fair and credible but election observers have not only condemned the conduct of the election, Nigerians also saw the INEC renege on its repentant promise to upload the results to the iREV from the polling stations immediately after counting the ballots. “Not only was this not done, INEC simply summarised their atrocities as clichés. And we commend the government of United States of America for its move to sanction all those involved in undermining the conduct of the 2023 general election. Governments of other countries that advocate democracy are also encouraged to follow suit.”
Chukwuma made case for the strengthening of institutions in Nigeria, including INEC just as he joined other bishops to demand that retired judges be made to handle election petition matters as panel chairmen and members.
He said: “Our institutions should be strengthened by laws which should also ensure INEC becomes totally independent, especially of the executive arm of government. Persons who are committed to making the country work must be searched out for appointment into sensitive positions like the INEC chairman and this will ease the burden of avoidable election litigations in courts.
“As some of our bishops have already proposed, we’re looking forward that those who will be in charge of election petition tribunals will be retired judges not serving judges because we don’t trust them.
“Judiciary on the other hand must rise up and be courageous in dispensing justice to save its already battered image in the eyes of the people. The judges must be incorruptible, and should come down hard on those who after subverting our election laws and boldly tell their opponents to go to court, believing they have the judges in their pockets.”
On the theme of the synod, “Continue in the Faith,” he said it was occasioned by the challenges that Christians are facing and the need to encourage them to continue in the faith despite the challenges and their expectations, especially as he was bowing out of the Episcopal service.
The cleric said though President Bola Tinubu’s election was being challenged at the tribunal, his administration should take steps to revamp the ailing economy and make education and agriculture a priority.
Describing the past administration of president Muhammadu Buahari as the most corrupt and worst in the history of the country, Chukwuma urged Tinubu to probe four ministers in that administration namely, former minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Faruk; former minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; former minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and former minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.
He also asked Tinubu to take steps to address the hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, an action he described as bad start for the incumbent president.