Nwabueze: Sectionalism, Nepotism Bane of Nigeria’s Development · Assault on Judiciary greatest threat to democracy, says Kukah · Wike insists that citizens must protect institutions

Renowned Constitutional Lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze, has declared that Nigeria cannot make progress as long as it is being administered as if it belongs to just one section of the country.

This is as the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Mathew Kukah, said any assault on the Nigeria’s judiciary remains the greatest threat to democracy in Nigeria.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, also stated that citizens must protect democratic institutions especially when government agencies join to sabotage arms of government.

In his speech as chairman during the public lecture in commemoration of the third anniversary of the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt on Monday, Nwabueze said the country belongs to all Nigerians and that any attempt by the leadership to be sectional in the governance of the country would not engender development.

 

He said: 'We are all Nigerians and we abhor what is happening today.  We want an all-inclusive government."

The Elder Statesman noted that the promotion of nepotism and sectionalism is killing the country.

He noted that the country needs to cross the river of pervasion, to stop the several pervasive actions that undermine democracy.

He said: "It is the pervasion of Section 308 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the residence of a serving governor to be searched. 

"You can investigate the governor, but you cannot execute a search warrant on the residence of a governor. If the residence of the President cannot be searched, why should anyone search the residence of a governor?"

Nwabueze said the salvation of Nigeria rests with youthful leaders who are expected to drive the development process.

He said: "Governor Wike is one of the young people that can take over. My generation is gone. My generation cannot save this country.  We are charging Governor Wike as a leader of this generation, with the energy of youth, to take up the mantle".

In his lecture titled: "Democracy in Nigeria: Still Many Rivers to Cross", Guest Speaker and Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Mathew Kukah, said any assault on the judiciary is the greatest threat to democracy.

He decried the recent assault on the judiciary, adding that Nigerians must find a way of developing a country of democrats where democratic tenets can thrive.

The cleric said Nigeria needs to invest in the architecture of peace by making the nation's environment sufficiently habitable.  

He noted that in a sections of the country, there were tales of violence and said there was need to break the circle of violence and replace it an infrastructure of peace.

In his remarks, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said the will of the people is critical for the survival of democracy, adding that the only way democracy can function is for the right thing to be done at all times.

His words: " The only way for democracy to work in Nigeria is for people to make sure the right thing is done. That does not mean people should take laws into their hands."

He referred to the incident of Friday, May 11 in which some youths believed to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) shut down the state High Court complex under the watch of policemen as a coup and said the situation would have lasted perhaps for days but for the intervention of citizens who went to reopen the courts.

 He declared that the Rivers State Government would always rise in defence of the mandate of the people, irrespective of the negative actions of anti-democratic forces.

The governor noted that it is not in the interest of democracy for the people to sit idly and allow criminal elements undermine democracy.

"The system in Nigeria has intimidated the judiciary and INEC. If the people did not resist the invasion of the court, APC and Police would have gotten away with it", he said.

He said opposition leaders in Rivers State play self-centred politics which makes it difficult for them to appreciate the state-wide development.

Former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili, High Court Judges, Legislators, Traditional Rulers and the academia attended the event.