Considering his numerous contributions, his views on national issues, Abeni Obomeileh Mohammed Esq. SAN has carved a niche for himself in the legal profession. He speaks with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI on need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to refuse the use of soldiers by the Federal Government in the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria. Excerpts:
Recently, the Buhari led government made a move to extradite the former minister for Petroleum, Allyson to Nigeria in order to face prosecution over an alleged embezzlement of fund, how do you see this?
There is nothing unusual about the issue, if government has enough evidence against her, she could be invited for trial. At the last minute, government can extradite her but if she feels that what will happen to her is persecution not prosecution, she may refuse to come. Considering the case of leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-zakyzaki and former National Security Adviser (NSA) to the immediate past administration, Col. Sambo Dasuki. She might not be comfortable with the process. The same law that created an offence also created procedure of using the constitution to state if it is bailable or not. It is not the government prerogative to say somebody should be released on bail or should not. What the executive did over the issue is an outright disobedience of court order which could lead to anarchy. If she considers what happened to El-zakyzaki, she won’t come. I’m not faulting our judicial system but the executive. Courts have released them on bail but government had decided to hold on to them.
Since this government allegedly stepped up its game on the fight against corruption, it has claimed to have recovered whooping amount of money from looters, but how much was recovered and what it has been used for has continue to generate debate among many Nigerians, can you put things in the right perspective over this issue?
The executive will be able to tackle this issue better. The money they’ve recovered is running into billions of naira and we don’t know what it is used for, where it is.
There has been series of allegations trailing the establishment of state police, but recently, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo joined the advocacy for its creation, what is your position on this issue?
I’m a strict advocate of restructuring and of course, state police. The institution is going to solve the immediate security needs. The Federal police has not been serving the states right because they’re not under the control of the governor. We need state police. That is how it was before the army took over in 1966. The state police will be able to understand the local terrain of where they work better considering the fact that they’re from that community, it is not easy for someone who came from a far town to work effectively and efficiently in a strange land. Imagine a situation where someone is brought from Lagos to prosecute a case in Ilorin, what does he know in the state of harmony. Those who are arguing against it knew what they were doing, they still want to continue controlling things at the Federal level.
Looking at the bye election that was conducted in Kwara South last weekend, many people have been faulting the deployment of heavy security operatives to the region. How best do you think this can be managed in the forthcoming 2019 general elections in the state?
On this issue of general elections, first, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must maintain neutrality and the army should stay clear from election exercise, it is not their duty to monitor election. Army should stay in the barracks, government should never use them again during election or campaigns. Using the military during the poll is amounting to military rigging. During the election, the army intimidated the voters even the INEC officials. They brutalised people even some electorate will be scared because of army presence and refuse to vote. Army presence during election is undemocratic and it is an abuse of our system. What is their functions at the polling boots, are the people fighting there? INEC should review this and tell government that they need only the police and the Civil Defence Corps.
