Only In Nigerian Can 16 Override 19 Governors, 5 Defeat 25 lawmakers - Law Professor, Oyelowo Oyewo

A lawyer in the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo has said that the political crisis presently playing out in Rivers state reflects the culture of impunity in Nigeria.

Mr Oyewo, who was a guest on Sunrise Daily, said if what happened in Rivers state House of assembly last Tuesday happens in other climes, the actors would have been sanctioned.

“Laws are being violated, nobody is being arrested; peoples’ heads are being broken with all of us looking at it nobody has been arrested for violence. It seems like there is a different kind of laws that apply to the general public as oppose to the laws that apply to the political players in Nigeria,” the lawyer said.

He said the genesis of the Rivers crisis “came out in the governors’ forum where you had 16 people claiming to have being voted in against the 19 votes and the president went ahead and acknowledged the person that supposedly won that election that we are saw that the counting of the vote did not result in his winning an election. The person who won the election is the governor of Rivers state.

“If you have done it successfully in a permutation of 16 overriding 19 then logically five should be able to override 17 or whatever is the number of the majority.”
Recall that during the May 24 Nigeria Governors’ Forum election the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi was re-elected chairman after he defeated his only challenger, Jonah Jang of Plateau State 19 votes to 16.

With his mobile phone, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun captured most of the proceedings of an election that featured intense manoeuvring from governors on a clear divide, either in support or against President Goodluck Jonathan’ candidate, Governor Jang of Plateau state.
Mr Jang and some other governor rejected the result of the election and have since formed a faction of the forum which has been acknowledged by President Jonathan.

Similarly, a group of five lawmakers at the Rivers state House of Assembly, led by Evans Bakapaye Bipi last week claimed they have impeached the speaker of the house, Otelema Dan-Amachree, who allegedly has more than 25 members of the house as supporters.
Mr Oyewo however said democracy is “about the rule of the majority. The minority may have their say but the majority should logically have their way.”

July 16, 2013