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Human Rights: ‘Nigeria Democracy Is Without Democrats’-Former Labour Leader

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Govt Attempting To Gag Human Rights Space

A former labour leader in the defunct Bendel State, Rev. Olu Aderibigbe, Tuesday, December 10th, described the Nigerian democracy system as “democracy without democrats.”

Aderibigbe who made this assertion while speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2019 edition of World Human Right  Day, noted that Nigeria democracy is without democrats.

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This year’s World Human Rights Day with theme: “Youth Standing up for Human Right”, was organised by Edo Civil Society Organizations.

He said, “The situation in Nigeria is that we are in democracy without democrats, or how do one explain the situation where people stole  billions of naira, money belonging to Nigerians and the most they get is ten years imprisonment, but when someone talks, they will say it is hate speech and the person is to be  given death sentence.

He called on Nigerians to condemn the proposed penalty for hate speech partucularly the proposed death penalty.

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We should all condemn hate speech, they did not kill the former governor, who later became a senator, he was said to have stollen billions of naira. But when someone talks, they say hate speech and the person must be hanged. Look at the way Sowore was arrested in the court, we should all stand to condemn it.

Rev. Olu Aderibigbe (left)

He challenged Nigerians partucularly the youths to stand for their rights and also protect what belongs to them.

Corroborating Aderibigbe’s assertions, Leftist Omobude Agho, Coordinator-General, Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), noted that this year’s Human Rights Day was United Nations call to youths to stand for their rights.

He said this year’s edition was a total shift of direction so that the younger generations wake up and take the fight of human rights and drive.

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Speaking on how best the youth can know their rights, Agho noted that youths must first learn about what their right is and then take it upon themselves that it is their rights, adding that bring back civic education to the education curriculum is one of the ways.

Youths can know their rights by first learning about what their right is, then take it upon themselves that it is their rights. I think they should also insist that government should bring back civic education to the curriculum. It must be thought in the primary as basic and then brought to the secondary and university and other higher institutions.

“Our history must be brought back, that is how we know about the past. Our society was a better society when we had all these courses in our schools. As soon as they removed them deliberately and systematically, which we were not sensitive enough, that is how we found ourselves in this mess. We now shout that we are in military era but we are in democracy”, he added.

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Agho raised the alarm that the government of the day has been making everything possible to gag the human rights space in the country and to shut up everybody, stressing that this has made EDOCSO to let the younger ones know their lives is being endangered.

He noted, “And you can see presently in Nigeria partucularly on where our leaders and government is trying to shrink the human right space and to shut everybody up. So we are trying to let the younger ones know that it is not the lives of the elderly ones that is being endangered because those ones are already on their ways out, but the younger ones who are coming in, whose lives, whose destiny is about to be changed. So, they better rise as we are speaking.”

On Sowore’s recent arrest in the court room, EDOCSO C.G. decried all manners of human rights abuse perpetrated by security agencies in the country, calling on the younger ones to speak against such.

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EDOCSO Public Relations officer, Leftist Osazee Edigin, said the programme was packaged to sensitise members of the public on their rights and also chart a new course for new agenda for 2020 so that people can be more equipped in knowing their fundamental human rights and enforce them accordingly.

He noted that one of the problems faced in the state was that youths are being oppressed and intimidated, while their rights are being utterly abused by security agencies

“And this has been a general problem we have been facing in Edo State, where Edo youths are being oppressed, intimidated and their rights are being abused excessively in Edo State by law enforcement agencies basically, and by some government agents by their ways of operations.

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“As we speak, if you go to detention, you will be amazed by the number of youths held their. And some are their beyond Constitutional time, and even when we wrote letters to some of these institutions, some of them refused and denied us access to these detentions facilities. This is to tell you a whole lots of human rights abuses going on in these agencies and they don’t want the civil society to know”, he said

Osazee, however,scored EDOCSO high in her bid in fighting for human rights by saying that the Organisations has freed many who were illegally detained or who a huge amount were requested from for bail without paying a dime.

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Wike/Dokpesi Faceoff Deepens As AIT/Ray Power Port Harcourt Station Receives Demolition Notice

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Rivers State Government has issued Daar Communications, owners of African Independent Television/Ray Power notice to vacate the land housing it’s Port Harcourt transmission station or have it demolished within 48 hours.

The development is believed to be induced by lingering political feud between Governor Nyesom Wike and Daar Communications owner, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, but the governor has maintained AIT/Ray Power has no title to the expansive premises it occupies in the Rivers state capital city and the eviction order has no political undertone.

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The latest eviction notice was issued 20 March 2023 by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers Ministry of Works, Mrs Ebere Dennis-Emenike, “To Whom It May Concern” and titled “Proposed GRA Phase 5 Ozuoba, Port Harcourt Demolition Notice”.

It reads, “Following the imminent commencement of the above project, all structure(s) impacting on the right-of-way of the project have been earmarked for demolition including your own. Consequently, you are by this notice requested to remove such structure(s) within forty eight (48) hours to allow for speedy progress of work.”

On intervention, the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) has urged the state government to rescind the decision to demolition the transmission station of Daar Communications.

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NUJ Rivers State Council, in a statement signed by Stanley Job, Chairman and Ike Wigodo, Secretary, appealed to the state government embrace dialogue with the media organization for mutual resolution of the dispute.

READ ALSO: Two Killed, As Police Stop Protesting Voters In Rivers

NUJ statement reads, “We appeal to the Rivers State Government to review the quit notice given to Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Raypower Radio Station. The Press and the Rivers State Government have come a long way as partners in progress.

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“We believe proper negotiation and peaceful resolution of the land dispute will serve the Government and people of Rivers better. Whatever the merit of the quit notice, we would not want the world to see the Press in a fight with the Rivers State in view of the long standing mutual relationship.

“NUJ will not be happy to see a Media House in Rivers State demolished over a land dispute that can be resolved peacefully and amicably”

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Buhari Redesignates State House Clinic Into Medical Clinics

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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the re-designation of the State House Clinic back to the Medical Centre.

Permanent Secretary of State House, Tijjani Umar, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja after a pre-commissioning inspection of the new Presidential (VIP) Wing of the State House Medical Centre.

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The commissioning was done by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

“Now, with the improvement in the problem areas and the addition of the new VIP Wing with state-of-the-art facilities, we can no longer operate as a Clinic. It is now to operate as State House Medical Centre,” Umar said.

Umar disclosed that all is set for the President’s inauguration of the new world-class facility to add to this administration’s growing number of completed and commissioned legacy projects.

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READ ALSO: JUST IN: FG, States, LGs Share N722bn Federal Allocation

He added that the calibration, equipment testing and training of medical personnel are ongoing.

He said the presidency is determined to ensure that the Centre remains fully operational and well-maintained after the inauguration.

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In 2019, Buhari had downgrounded the facility owing to infrastructural deficit.

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Ramadan: Buhari Sends Message To Muslims As Fasting Begins

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President Muhammadu Buhari has sent greetings and best wishes to Muslims as they commence 30 days of Ramadan fasting.

Buhari urged Muslims to use the season “to project the best and finest virtues of Islam by personal conduct, and not precept.”

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In a goodwill message to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Buhari says “let us use this opportunity to put the best teachings of Islam into practice, such as kindness and the love of humanity.”

According to the President, “This is an occasion for deep reflection and greater fear of Allah and avoidance of all evils that harm humanity.

“Ramadan is characterised by abstention from food and drinks from dawn to dusk, which brings both the rich and poor to share the experience of hunger together, thereby strengthening the bonds between haves and have-nots.”

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Buhari explained that “as we begin these 30 days fasting season, let us not forget that Ramadan is not only about abstention from eating and drinking, but it is a reminder to refrain from all kinds of evil and transgressions that harm humanity.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Moon Sighted As Sultan Confirms Thursday First Day Of Ramadan

“I am particularly aware of the activities of traders who artificially increase the prices of their goods, including food at the beginning of every month of Ramadan. This kind of exploitation is against the spirit of the Ramadan and the spirit of Islam.”

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Buhari added that “while we are observing this important occasion in the spiritual life of Muslims, let us share food and drinks with the less fortunate, because by sharing our blessings with others, Allah will multiply our rewards for good deeds.”

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