Leading civil society organization, the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has expressed its unequivocal condemnation of what it described as the humiliation and denigration of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu. The human rights group warned that the recent locking up of the office of the Deputy Governor was an action, which is antithetical to the rule of law, natural justice and the tenets of democratic governance.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, the group said: “From the details in a recent viral video, which showed how the Deputy Governor was locked out, and prevented from accessing his office, it is clear that whatever disagreement he is having with his principal, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, is being taken to a ridiculous level by the Governor’s camp.
The CHRICED helmsman continued: “While political disagreements and face offs are common in a democracy, which gives room for plurality of perspectives, what is not acceptable is the denigration and reduction of the importance of an office, which is a creation of the constitution. Illegal and extra-judicial actions like preventing an elected official from accessing his office space undermines the constitution, the rule of law and the principles of natural justice.”
CHRICED warned that those who authorized such illegalities may be targeting Comrade Philip Shuaibu as a person; however, what they don’t seem to understand is that beyond the person occupying the office, they have actually rubbished the office itself, which is the collective heritage of the good people of Edo State.
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While noting that the deputy governor is an elected official of the state, the group warned that whatever differences he was having with his principal cannot justify the ongoing attempts to undermine his office.
The group said: “Their quarrel notwithstanding, the feuding duo are actually partners in a joint ticket, which was endorsed by voters in Edo State at an election. Of course, there can be no gainsaying that the Governor as the principal on the ticket takes precedence as the leader and chief executive of the State. However, that does not give him (the governor) the license to treat his deputy in a shoddy and unacceptable manner akin to the show of shame going on in the Edo State Government House.
“It is similarly trite to assert that if the Deputy Governor has acted contrary to any law or administrative procedure, there are laid down procedures to hold him accountable. To however denigrate and humiliate him without consideration for the office he occupies and the joint mandate received alongside his principal from the voters in Edo State, is to engage in lawlessness and extreme executive brigandage.”
CHRICED therefore called on the Edo State House of Assembly to summon the courage to address the situation. However, the group advised that if the State Assembly has become “too toothless, compromised and lacks the capacity to carry out its constitutional function of oversighting the executive”, the national legislature and relevant law enforcement institutions would need to step in and address the situation.
CHRICED similarly weighed in on what it described as a situation wherein “power-drunk” are undermining democracy and accountable governance at the grassroots. The group said state governors urgently need to learn how to exercise their powers responsibly and in the collective interest of citizens.
The grouped said: “CHRICED hereby warns that impunity and abuse of political power are among the factors causing disenchantment and alienation of citizens from the democratic and governance processes. One such awful example is the case in Ogun State, where the Governor is hounding and harassing the Chairman of a Local Government Area (LGA), who had the courage to make it clear that it was inappropriate to divert allocations meant for the LGAs.
“As it stands, no institution of the state has stood up in defense of the affected LGA Chairman, and the Governor has succeeded in kicking him out of office. Such misuse of power will surely not augur well for democracy at all levels, including at the grassroots. CHRICED therefore calls on citizens, activists, and human rights defenders to put these issues at the forefront of their advocacy in order to salvage whatever is left in Nigeria’s dwindling democracy.”
