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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
A legal practitioner, Pius Nwabueze Okoro, is the President of Billie Human Rights Initiative and former Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO). He also worked with the Amnesty International.
The foremost activist further participated in the establishment of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Abuja Archdiocese of the Catholic Church and headed the human rights department of the organisation.
He spoke on the just concluded general elections and condemned the spate of human rights abuses during and after the exercise including hate speech.
What is your assessment of INEC in the just concluded general elections?
As far as I am concerned, it appeared INEC had taken a position before the general elections. They only played the script of the arrangement they earlier made on who should be the President of the country. In terms of the presidential election, it appeared scores had already been awarded before citizens were asked to go and vote. I do not believe that if the votes of the people were allowed to count that the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu, would have emerged the winner of the election. Many people were intimidated, harassed, tortured and prevented from voting especially in Lagos because they refused to vote for the APC candidate. Majority of Igbo people in Lagos were forced out of voting centres in many parts of Lagos because of the suspicion that they might vote for the Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi. But these people are Nigerians too. So, I must say, that for this country to move forward, every Nigerian must be seen as a Nigerian no matter where he lives; we must insist on one Nigeria and anywhere he lives is his home as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
How will you rate INEC?
The INEC did not work for the masses. It only worked for the interest of the President who appointed its chairman. Contrary to the international best practice where the electoral chief is nominated by the National Assembly, the President appoints the INEC boss by himself in Nigeria. In this case, his allegiance or loyalty is to the person that appointed him. You recall that long before the general elections, President Buhari told the entire world that Bola Tinubu of the APC was his candidate. So, the INEC only ensured that the candidate of Mr. President was returned elected. Until the appointment of the INEC boss is removed completely from the powers of Mr. Presiden, we might not have a free and fair election in this country. Now, after messing up the election, they told Nigerians to go to court if they don’t like the winner, as though we did not know that there was court before we voted our choice. When Nigerians were voting, they did not have the court in mind; we wanted someone who will deliver us from the shackles of intimidation, hardship, corruption and poverty.
You seem to have low confidence in the court in terms of the election; is that the case?
Yes, the presidency has made it difficult for the court to deliver fair judgement in election matters because of its tendency to harass any Judge who fails to do their bidding. We have seen in the past how Judges were hounded using EFCC and security operatives. They chased the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) away and inculcated fear into others. The Judiciary is working for the Executive in Nigeria. So, it is my belief that the judiciary will also do the bidding of the presidency in these election matters. However, what we must do as NGOs is to continue to sensitize Nigerians on their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution. Even though that the 1999 Constitution as amended is not a creation of the people but the military junta and imposed on Nigerians, we will look for our constitution and in due time, Nigerian people will get their own constitution.
So, what is your assessment of the role of security agencies during the elections?
They all worked for the Executive, presidency and the APC. Note that all commands of the police in states take orders from the Inspector General of Police who is directly implementing the orders of the presidency. Even in the states, the Commissioners of Police don’t take orders from the governors; they are directed and controlled by the IGP who as earlier mentioned, works for the President. That was why the security operatives did nothing while political thugs and hoodlums visited mayhem on defenceless voters.
You may have followed the pre and post election provocative comments being made by some highly placed individuals in Lagos State APC, which are capable of causing ethnic crisis, what is your take on that?
The answer to the question is clear; many Nigerians are not aware of their rights. What the Constitution says is that we are one united Nigeria irrespective of where you reside within the country. It says ‘we, the people of Nigeria,’ it doesn’t say, we, the Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. So, anywhere you live in Nigeria, that is your home. It is some of our political leaders that are inciting their ignorant followers against people from other sections of the country. This is unlawful and highly unacceptable. We are strictly against it and we have a duty to create what we call active citizens by moving from one community to another, telling people that we are one. And that we all are Nigerians no matter where you live. Nobody has right to ask a person to quit a particular place in Nigeria because he’s not from there. What we have in Nigeria is citizenship and not indigeneship.
What do you think should be done to persons making these inflammatory comments?
I think the law should take its course; the like of Bayo Onanuga and Femi Fan-Kayode should be arrested and prosecuted by law enforcement agencies for violating the Constitution. The Constitution says we are equal before the law. So, they should be made to face the law irrespective of their social standing.
You mentioned your support for restructuring; can you throw more light?
Yes, to me restructuring means devolution of powers. For instance, though unfortunately too, the allocations meant for the LGAs are hijacked instead of being used for development. They are sharing the money. So, I subscribe to restructuring; I advocate for a constitutional conference for a decision to be taken whether we should continue as one entity and the conditions for doing so or we go our separate ways. Truth is that we need to discuss as a people; the various ethnic nationalities have to state their positions. The way things are going in this country, we cannot continue this way.
Do you think Peter Obi and his supporters have made any remarkable change in their push for a new Nigeria?
Yes, I commend Obi and all the Obidients in this country. Despite the outcome of the election; of course, they are already in court, and no matter the outcome of the court case, they should continue to create an egalitarian and enlightened society. Nigerians now know that they have a right to vote candidates of their choice. So, Obi and his group have sent a strong message that we need a change in this country. The liberation of the country has started and it will surely come to pass. Civil society organisations should be up and doing in monitoring democracy; there’s what we call ‘democracy monitoring’. Even the opposition parties should not relent in keeping watch on the party in power, that way; our democracy will grow.
