The ugly political development in Osun should be of great air jordan 6 carmine 2021 release date concern to patriots, democrats and peace loving citizens of Nigeria. An appeal court judgement on who should be the legal occupants of the Chief Executive positions in the local government councils in the state has poured petrol to the fire, rather than douse it.
The ruling party in Osun, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while in opposition, had secured a Federal High Court judgement on the illegality of the law of the state for the conduct of the election to the local government councils. It was this victory that the All Progressives Congress (APC), now in opposition, challenged and secured a favourable judgement at the Court of Appeal, Akure, last week.
The judgement, for whatever it is worth, is not declaratory on a change of baton at the councils’ leadership. It is to a large extent a technical exposition on when a legal action is legitimate. Can the court adjudicate on a matter that is yet to happen in civil tort? This was the matter brought before the court and which the court resolved without an order of vacation of office to the incumbent or assumption of office by the appellants.
However, there is a tricky side to this matter. The Action Peoples Party (APP) had filed another process in the Federal High Court, Osogbo, challenging the modality and legitimacy of the election to the council on compliance with the constitution and the electoral law. It sought and got the court’s clear order on the unconstitutionality of a ‘No or Yes’ affirmation of candidates without the listing of parties and their symbols as specifically declared in the constitution and extant electoral law.
The Federal High Court consequently nullified the entire election and declared the whole process null and void, thus sacking the local government executives produced by that election.
The APC appealed the two unfavourable judgement but along the line abandoned the APP’s case which was on the constitutionality of process and procedure of the election and focused on the one of the PDP which was on the law for the election.
Assuming the interpretation of the judgement is as claimed by the APC, what now becomes of the unchallenged judgement clearly sacking the APC councils administrations on the unconstitutionality of the election that produced them air jordan 3 black cement 2024 which is still current?
To be sure, the APC does not have such relief from the court.
If the APC believes this judgement is declaratory and wants to take over the council, it should go back to the court and ask specifically for the order that clearly is not in the judgement.
But in a bizarre twist, the APC on Monday February 17 mobilized thugs and hoodlums, armed with cudgels and weapons, to forcibly takeover the councils across the state, creating mayhem and heightened insecurity in the state. There is yet to be confirmed report of fatalities from gunshot wounds.
How do the Police come into this? The government, regardless of style and method of administration, exists primarily to guarantee the welfare and security of the citizens. Police as an institution exists only for this purpose. When the primary institution for the maintenance of law and order becomes the violator, society is on the way to disaster. To prevent descent to anarchy, all citizens must call for urgent action to address the situation.
We have been at this dangerous junction before when law enforcement agencies were subverted into violating the constitution, trampling on liberty and serving the particularistic interests of a cabal, rather than upholding the law and serving the Nigerian people. It didn’t end well for the nation or the agencies involved.
Therefore, whoever in the Police that permits this abuse of the institution must be sanctioned. Any person who is complicit in the subversion of our Police Act must face the law of the land. Citizen must protect their freedom and liberty. We must resist fascism in any form it manifests in our democracy.
