Thursday 25 July 2013
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT TO ...
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT TO ...: CENTRE FOR RIGHTS AND GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE (CRGI) 1a Fadeyi Street, Ikej...
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT TO APPEAL THE COURT OF APPEAL JUDGEMENT ON AL MUSTAPHA & SHOFOLAHAN IN THE KUDIRAT ABIOLA MURDER CASE FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE
CENTRE FOR RIGHTS AND
GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE (CRGI)
1a Fadeyi Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
Email: centreforrightsgi@gmail.com
Telephone:
08078012999, 07033853232
25/07/2013.
The Honourable Chairman,
House Committee on Public Petition,
Lagos State House of Assembly,
Assembly Complex,
Alausa, Ikeja.
Lagos.
Dear Sir,
PUBLIC PETITION
IMPERATIVE NEED FOR THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT
TO APPEAL THE COURT OF APPEAL JUDGEMENT ON AL MUSTAPHA & SHOFOLAHAN IN THE
KUDIRAT ABIOLA MURDER CASE FOR THE SAKE OF JUSTICE
 |
| Lagos State House of Assembly |
With humility and authority of the governing
board and entire members of the Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative
(CRGI), we wish to bring to your attention and members of the Lagos State House
of Assembly, the shock, embarrassment and disappointment of Lagosians in
particular and Nigerians in general with the Court of Appeal judgement of
Friday 9th July 2013 which discharged and acquitted Major Hamza Al
Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan of complicity in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat
Abiola, wife of the acclaimed President Elect of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, late Bashorun MKO Abiola.
It is an indisputable fact that late Alhaja
Kudirat Abiola was murdered for being resolute in queuing behind her husband
like millions of Nigerians to demand the revalidation of the peoples vote of
over 14 million freely and democratically exercised on June 12 1993 but which
was treasonably annulled by the military junta of Ibrahim Babangida and
consolidated upon by the Sani Abacha gang.
It was in response to this murder and the
agitations of Nigerians and the international community that Major Al Mustapha
and his co conspirators were arraigned for which they employed every means
possible to prolong the trial for about 14 years just to frustrate the judicial
process and escape justice. The result as it stands today is the judgement of
the Court of Appeal with which we are in complete disagreement and are
demanding justice for the sake of our society.
Late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola was murdered on June
4th 1996 within the jurisdiction of Lagos state over which you have
constitutional authority to legislate. As a responsible and constitutional arm
of government charged with the constitutional authority to make laws for the
good of the citizenry, it behooves on any responsible government, institutions
and individuals to take every legitimate action towards engendering a peaceful,
progressive and orderly society at all times.
Therefore, we want to use this medium to implore
the Lagos State House of Assembly as the bastion of democracy to immediately
pass a resolution calling on the Lagos State government to urgently obtain
copies of the Appeal court judgement and reinvigorate its legal team to file an
appeal against the discharge and acquittal of Al Mustapha and Shofolahan of
murder charges not only to the memory of our democracy martyrs but for the sake
of justice and peace.
We are equally calling on Mr. President, Dr.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to immediately direct the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice in obeisance to the constitution and his oath
of office to legally collaborate with the Lagos State Government in order to ensure
that justice is served the Nigerian people in this matter at the Supreme
Court.
Monday 22 July 2013
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY: 22/07/2013 HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY Mustapha-Fasehun Fasehun has been selling forms for N2000, N5000 depending on the ...
HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY
22/07/2013
HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY
Fasehun has been selling forms for N2000, N5000 depending on the
location. You want to give somebody job and you are taking money from
him. He has made millions from that. He sold forms even in Edo which is
not part of the South West. The job we are bidding for does not even
cover the entire South West. Osun and Ekiti states are not part of it.
Its only Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo but Fasehun has sold forms in Edo. He
is selling forms to mobilize people to the UPN; you can see how cunning
the man is. Why is he using the pipeline to cajole people? Fasehun will
never make friends for five years without crisis unless three things
are not involved; money, beautiful ladies and positions. Even those
people who introduced him to Al Mustapha, he has sidelined them. We have
other things that I cannot tell you about his relationship with Al
Mustapha. The feelers we are getting about this issue are disturbing.-
Otunba Gani Adams on Fasehun on Al Mustapha
HOW NOT TO ESTABLISH A POLITICAL PARTY
 |
| Mustapha-Fasehun |
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: URGENT NEED FOR SECURITY ALERT ON RENEWED VIOLENCE...
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: URGENT NEED FOR SECURITY ALERT ON RENEWED VIOLENCE...: CENTRE FOR RIGHTS AND GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE (CRGI) 1a Fadeyi Street, Ikej...
URGENT NEED FOR SECURITY ALERT ON RENEWED VIOLENCE IN OSUN STATE IN THE BUILD UP TO 2014 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION
CENTRE FOR RIGHTS AND
GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE (CRGI)
1a Fadeyi
Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
Email: centreforrightsgi@gmail.com
Telephone:
08078012999, 07033853232
22/07/2013.
Alhaji M. D. Abubakar,
The Inspector General of Police,
Nigeria Police Force,
Force Headquarters Louis Edet House,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PUBLIC PETITION
URGENT NEED FOR SECURITY ALERT ON RENEWED
VIOLENCE IN OSUN STATE IN THE BUILD UP TO 2014 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION
 |
| Political violence in Nigeria |
The Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative
(CRGI) wish to draw your attention for urgent action recent media reports of
renewed violence by enemies of progress and democracy in Osun State in the
build up to the gubernatorial election in 2014.
As a responsible civil society organization
which is desirous of a peaceful and orderly society, we are particularly
disturbed that the peace, tranquility, progress and development which the good
people of Osun state have been privileged to enjoy in the last three years is
being undermined by some unscrupulous elements.
We at (CRGI) urgently request investigation and
prosecution of those responsible for the violence that claimed the life of one
Sunday Olagoke during a meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
Edunabon ward 1 in Ife North Local Government Area where members of two
factions of the party attempted to change the party leadership in the area in
favour of a particular gubernatorial candidate, (Daily Independent, July 5,
2013, pg 3).
We are also calling for investigation and
prosecution of those responsible for a similar violence reported in the same
paper and page that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) allegedly
unleashed terror on Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) members at a rally in
Yekemi Abata in Ife East local government resulting in physical injuries to
persons. However, the Osun state police command must be commended for
responding swiftly in arresting some of the hired thugs who perpetrated the
violence.
Other cases of violence
which are becoming increasingly worrisome and inimical to our society and democracy
are the bloody clash that ensued between factional members of one of the
PDP governorship aspirants, Iyiola Omosore and his rival from Osun West, Elder
Peter Babalola, where a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was knocked down in the
crisis in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Council Area of the state, in an
attempt to arrest the political hoodlums.
Recently more that 20 people were seriously
injured in a fracas that ensued among members of the PDP in Iwo, Headquarters
of Iwo Local Government Council Area of the state and the state executives of
the PDP, who wanted to inaugurate the party’s new executive council in the
council area.
There was also a bloody clash recently in Irojo
in Ilesa-East Local Government Council Area of the state, where one person was
reportedly killed, while many were injured. Those injured were hospitalized at
the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) in Ile-Ife.
We have observed that this orgy violence is being
perpetrated by desperate politicians from a particular political party whose
idea of politics is do or die rather than service to the people, which must be
curtailed. It is in the larger interest of our society and democracy that these
agents of evil are arrested and prosecuted so as to send a warning signal to others
and their sponsors, that any act inimical to the peace and tranquility of the
society will be met with the full weight of the law.
Sir, we are hereby imploring you to use your good
office to urgently beef up security in Osun state and put in place the
necessary mechanism for investigation in order to ensure that the perpetrators
of this breach of public peace and their sponsors are prosecuted according to
the constitution and in the overall interest of our people and democracy.
Thursday 18 July 2013
MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTIONA...
centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiatives: MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTIONA...: 18/07/2013 MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF RIVERS PEOPLE Dame Patience Jonathan ...
MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF RIVERS PEOPLE
18/07/2013
MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN ASSAULT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND DEMOCRATIC
RIGHTS OF RIVERS PEOPLE
 |
| Dame Patience Jonathan |
It was Nobel Laureate Professor
Wole Soyinka who titled one of his works, “The man died” in him who keeps
silent in the face of tyranny and injustice. I would not have bothered to put
pen on paper, but have been compelled to do so in the larger interest and
because on this great day, today 18th July 2013, the whole world is
commemorating the 95th birthday of God’s gift to humanity, icon of
anti apartheid struggle and a role model to the Black race, Dr. Nelson Mandela
of South Africa. So one owes it to his honour to speak up when ones society is
drifting in the wrong direction and must be corrected lest one be an accomplice
through the act of silence. This write up is also in observance to the clarion
call by the United Nations (UN) that we should observe 67 minutes of our time today
to a social cause like Mandela sacrificed with his life for 67 years.
It is also an indisputable fact,
that a major reason why Africa has remained poor despite Gods abundant blessings materially, humanly, etc is because of the
abuse of power by its rulers who are overwhelmed by the expectations and
responsibilities of office. The abuse of power is manifested in all facets of national
life that is characterized by unbridled indiscipline.
For some time now, the Nigerian
people and the rest of the world have been treated to a show of shame in Rivers
State which is already undermining national security and our democracy and portraying
us in negative light in the eyes of the global village.
Just this morning, the media
reported that Nigeria’s first lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan opened up and confessed
to some Christian clerics from the South South who visited her in Aso Rock, Abuja
that truly she is the voice of Jacob and hand of Esau in the crisis rocking
Rivers state which has been the long held suspicion of most Nigerians since the
despicable undemocratic acts started manifesting and of which our shameless
Presidency like in its character denied, which was expected.
That our God is wonderful and marvelous
is stating the obvious. This is in view of the fact that some time ago in 2012,
a confession by President Goodluck at
the church dedication ceremony in his native Otueke village in Bayelsa state revealed
that he abused the constitution and office of the President of Nigeria by
soliciting the building of a church in his village as a gift from a government
contractor. Who else could have extracted such voluntary confession but the
Almighty God, not even the existence of the EFCC and other anti corruption
agencies both locally and internationally could have done it with such ease.
Also when she returned to the
country after several months abroad of which a lot of insinuations and reports
were churned out about her health condition from several quarters and despite
the shameless denials and counter denials by spin doctors in the Presidency,
our God proved himself above all mortals by making Mrs. Patience Jonathan voluntarily
confess publicly at a thanksgiving service that truly she went for medical
surgery of which she gave thanks to God for being alive.
Now by this latest confession, Mrs.
Jonathan must be applauded because our security agencies don’t have to look any
further for the cause of the crisis bedeviling Rivers state because the Yoruba
adage says “Kokoro ton je efo, idi efo lo wa” Literally meaning, that the ants
eating the vegetable in within the vegetable. One only hopes the security
agencies will muster the courage to invite the first lady for questioning immediately.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Goodluck Jonathan
the wife of the President of Nigeria and who is supposed to offer succor and
soothing balm to the pains round the husband’s neck in the herculean task of
administering this multi ethnic nation is rather the one undermining his
discharge of constitutional responsibilities by causing a breach of public
peace in her home state for personal reasons and in a needless show of power.
Mrs. Goodluck Jonathan by her
action has also shown that the wives of our elected public officials are in
dire need of education on the meaning and workings of democracy in order for
them not to abuse their personal and unconstitutional position as spouses to
undermine the prevailing societal peace and our democracy by engaging in
needless power show with other elected state officials who are not on the same
page with their husbands.
If Mrs. Jonathan had been
schooled in the tenets of democracy, she would have realized that resorting to
undemocratic, uncivilized, unconstitutional, crude and barbaric tactics of
hiring thugs and oil pipeline vandals to cause a breach of public peace for any
reason is demeaning to her personality as the wife of Mr. President and is a
blemish on the office of the President of Nigeria which is representative of
all that Nigerian people stands for. This irresponsible action of hers has gone
a long way in portraying her in the opposite image of her priviledge position of
a motherly figure for the country.
According to Mrs. Jonathan, “This
matter started four years ago at Anyugubiri in Okrika when I begged him not to demolish
part of Okrika but that he should dialogue first with the people. After that
incident, he called the chairman of Okrika Local Government and sacked him for
holding a reception in our honour; …….”. By the way, the governor was elected
by the generality of Rivers people and not by one person no matter how highly
placed. if you advise the governor and he does not listen because whatever
decision he takes should be in the larger interest and not in ones people’s
interest, madam, that is talking about dialogue should have approached the
courts to stop the governor if truly she believed in civilized engagement
rather than this show of force which is undemocratic and uncivilized.
She also quoted copiously from
the bible in the books of Hebrew 12:14 which urge us to embrace peace with all
men without which we cannot see God. Amaechi is my son, I cannot fight him and
I cannot kill him ……” How very hypocritical of you Dame Patience. If you
understand what you have just quoted with your lips but of which your heart is
very far away from God, you will realize the enormity of what you said, what
you are doing is beyond fighting Amaechi because presently you are abusing your
position to cause a breach of public peace in Rivers state which is like
fighting God if we take cognizance of the saying that the voice of the people
is the voice of God.
Mrs. Jonathan should rather have
used her position of mother of some (5) rebellious members of the Rivers state
house of assembly to lobby other members to buy into her position as championed by the members to
legitimately and constitutionally fight her cause if indeed they were
altruistic rather than the despicable show of shame she is presently engaged in.
As for the clerics, since one wasn’t
there when they visited Dame Patience Jonathan, one hoped they told her the
truth which is that by abusing her position to cause a breach of public peace
in Rivers state and undermine our democracy, she has sinned against man and God
of which they should have prayed with her for forgiveness and a change of heart
since God had used them to make her confess of this national embarrassment she
has caused the country.
By this voluntary confession, one
would expect Mr. President to first of all apologize to the country for this
show of shame from the first family and then sit down the wife and engage her
in frank talk about her embarrassing behavior to his office which is
unacceptable since she is misdirecting her energy. Mr. President should
admonish her to devote her time to worthy causes since there are lots of
societal issues that she could help draw attention to for government attention.
Lest we forget, in the mean time and for future purposes, Mrs. Jonathan should
be availed educative materials on the meaning and workings of democracy.
Sunday 14 July 2013
THE APPEAL COURT JUDGEMENT ON MAJOR HAMZA AL MUSTAPHA AS A SETBACK FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY
CENTRE FOR RIGHTS AND
GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE (CRGI)
1a Fadeyi
Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
Email: centreforrightsgi@gmail.com
Telephone:
08078012999, 07033853232
13/07/2013.
PRESS STATEMENT
THE APPEAL COURT JUDGEMENT ON MAJOR HAMZA AL
MUSTAPHA AS A SETBACK FOR JUSTICE AND DEMOCRACY
 |
| Major Hamza Al Mustapha |
The Centre for Rights and
Grassroots Initiative (CRGI) is shocked and disappointed in the Appeal Court
judgement of Friday 11th July 2013 which set aside the Lagos high
court death conviction on Major Hamza Al Mustapha and his accomplice Lateef
Shofolahan for their roles in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of late
President Elect, Bashorun MKO Abiola.
We regard this judgement as a
setback for our democracy and justice which is a critical ingredient for peace,
progress and prosperity but which our society is lacking and is responsible for
most of the ills bedeviling it. The only crime which late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola
committed and for which she was brutally murdered was that she like millions of
her countrymen insisted on the revalidation of the June 12 1993 democratic
mandate of over 14 million Nigerians entrusted in her husband, Late Chief MKO
Abiola who also paid the supreme price and nothing more.
As responsible democrats who
believe in the rule of law, we want to admonish the judiciary to be circumspect
in its activities lest it send a wrong signal to the society that it is
legitimate to use state power to commit murder.
In the meantime, we want to
sincerely thank the prosecution for their enduring sacrifices made in the
course of this trial of which there is still an hurdle to cross despite the
futile antics of the defendants to thwart and ambush justice at the high court.
To the media, we say a big thank
you for faithfully and patriotically discharging its constitutional mandate
with utmost responsibility on this matter, together we shall get justice.
We also want to thank and enjoin
the Lagos State government that it owes the society and posterity, the moral
and constitutional responsibility of pursuing this case to a logical conclusion
by immediately requesting for copies of the judgement in order to file an
appeal at the Supreme Court in line with its responsibility as a responsible
government which believes in the rule of law and sanctity of human life.
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