Muslims reacts to Dogara’s statement on judiciary

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has reacted to comments by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, on the Nigerian judiciary.

Dogara had complained that the judiciary was encroaching on the powers of the legislature by granting injunctions stopping the public hearing on call to bar Amasa Firdaus and the bill on change of election sequence.

Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC Director, in a statement on Monday said the position was an attempt to hoodwink both the judiciary and members of the public by lumping the hijab case with that of change in election sequence.

“We contend that the two are separate, distinct and incomparable. We are constrained to put the records straight”, he said.

“In the first place, the bill on change of election sequence was midwifed by the lawmakers to settle scores with the executive.

“The contents of the bill also showed that the lawmakers have vested interest as it made election to parliament the first segment thereby giving themselves greatest priority.

“It was parochial, self-serving and unpatriotic. Empowered by its locus standi, the executive took the right step by going to court on the matter.

“On the contrary, those who sought to sabotage the public hearing in the case of the call to bar saga of Amasa Firdaus are people who are bent on keeping the truth away from the public.

“These are people who know that it was wrong to have barred the hijab-wearing lady from call to bar and they also know that the lady would carry the day unless the Nigerian public was gagged.

“We stand to be corrected but we cannot recollect any public hearing held in respect of the change in the sequence of elections. The House simply gave accelerated hearing to the change in electoral sequence bill.

“How can the speaker complain today when the House veered from its normal course to venture into a sphere of electoral process that is specifically reserved by law for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)? How can INEC be truly independent if the legislature is allowed to tamper with its functions?

“As far as the Nigerian public is concerned, the House is baring its fangs at the wrong time after failing to protect a lone, vulnerable girl-child. The honourable speaker should leave the judiciary alone, stop playing politics with the call to bar issue and do the needful.

“The House must take a stand on the call to bar saga and take a principled stand. That stand is as clear as daylight. Amasa Firdaus must be called to bar.”

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