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The Project on Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability (SERAP) sent an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari before taking office for a second term, urging him to "publicly commit to making every day of your Stay at Aso Rock a "Rule of Law" Day, including ensuring that each segment of your government's day-to-day operations comply with the law and comply with the law, for the sake of fairness, justice, your legacy and for the success of your anti-corruption program, which has been stuck limbo. "
The organization expressed "grave concern that the results of the" rule of law law "over the past four years are particularly damaging to your government's fight against corruption and for the country" .
In a letter dated May 29, 2019, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization stated: "By committing publicly to devoting each day of your second term to the rule of law day, you make sure that the decisions of our courts will be respected. are fully compliant, refocus, improve and strengthen the anti-corruption agenda. It will also remind us that no one is immune from the law, not even the government. "
The organization said: "Rule of law deficits have been particularly blatant in three areas: non-compliance with Nigerian court rulings, the inability to press for transparency in the disclosure of badets. senior officials and the inability to seek unexplained wealth orders against former presidents and former governors and other high officials suspected of living from proceeds of corruption and "dirty money". "
The letter reads in part: "We urge you to seize the opportunity of your second term to implement your often expressed commitment to the rule of law by immediately obeying the decisions of Nigerian courts, promoting Transparency of badet declarations by widely publishing information about your wealth declaration, encouraging the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to do the same and asking all your ministers to publish their wealth declarations. "
"We also urge you to immediately instruct your next Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to prosecute unexplained orders of a court of fortune in front of all former presidents (and their estates), former governors, former presidents of the Senate and former presidents of the House of Representatives. The representatives aimed to force those of them suspected of living off the proceeds of corruption and "thirty dollars" to reveal the sources of their fortune or to risk losing it. "
"Democracy in Nigeria should be based on respect for human rights and the rule of law. To treat the decisions of the Nigerian courts as non-binding runs counter to any contemporary notion of the rule of law and democracy and will clearly work against the fight against corruption. "
"Ignoring or refusing to obey the decisions of our courts implicitly renders the judiciary incapable of upholding constitutional and legal rights, violating the separation of powers, undermining legality and, ultimately, seriously doubt the government's determination to fight against grand corruption. "
"Democracy is an inherent element of the rule of law. Respect for court decisions, the promotion of transparency of senior government officials and the prosecution of former senior officials suspected of living from the proceeds of corruption and "dirty money" are closely related to Existence and consolidation of democracy, good governance and development. "
"The government's persistent disobedience of the decisions of our courts has paved the way for many state governors, including using anti-media laws to suppress civic space, targeting journalists and human rights defenders, and pensions to themselves. in perpetuity and commit great corruption and other appalling atrocities. "
"The high profile judgments your government refuses to obey include at least two judgments obtained by SERAP. The first is the judgment of Judge Hadiza Rabiu Shagari, ordering the government to let Nigerians know the stolen property that was recovered, with details of the amounts recovered. The second judgment, handed down by Judge Mohammed Idris, ordered the government to publish detailed information on the spending of stolen funds recovered by successive governments since the return of democracy in 1999. "
"Another judicial decision that still needs to be upheld is the decision to release the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenah, from the illegal detention obtained by the human rights lawyer. the man and Nigeria's leading lawyer, Femi Falana.
Kolawole Oluwadare
Deputy Director of SERAP
05/29/2019
Lagos, Nigeria
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