A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Friday, pitched tent with the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Dioceses of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, saying that no politician whose electoral victory was being challenged by opposition parties and co-contestants should be sworn in till the Elections Petitions Tribunal has cleared such politician and disposed of cases against him or her.
Addressing newsmen, in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the position of the cleric was not in any way out of point and that he made such statements for the growth and development of the nation.
The group also carpeted the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, for saying Onaiyekan’s position is ‘unstatesmanlike’.
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Recall that Cardinal Onaiyekan had, on a national television, on Thursday, said “it doesn’t make much sense” for President-elect Bola Tinubu to be sworn in before the conclusion of the election tribunal which commences on Monday, May 8, 2023.
“There are cases in court that have not been disposed of. That is why we are in an anomalous situation. We have a president-elect whose election is being challenged and the court is handling it.
“I’m still waiting for the court to tell me who won the election. It doesn’t make much sense to be swearing in people when they are still in court,” the cleric had said.
Reacting to the statement, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “80-year-old Archbishop emeritus of the Catholic Dioceses of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has spoken truth to power and this is very courageous of the octogenarian in a country filled with sycophants and hypocrites who form that they are with the masses but yet dine with the oppressors.
“We throw our support for these statements by the Cardinal, advocating the promulgation of the essential recommendations made by the Justice Muhammadu Uwais electoral commission reforms such as ending litigation before swearing in, and the appointment of INEC chair and commissioners by an independent body outside of the President.
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“The Justice Uwais reforms specifically recommended among others; Constitutional amendments that would insulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the political influences of the executive arm of government in terms of its composition and funding.
“The power to appoint the INEC board was to be transferred from the president to the National Judicial Council (NJC) while its funding was to be a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation.
“The functions of the police on election duty stated in the PSC guidelines on code of conduct for officers should be incorporated into the Police Act.
“Election petition was to have a time limit even as a Special Electoral Offences Commission was to be set up to try electoral offenders. That no elected person should assume office until the case against him/her in the Tribunal or Court is disposed of.”