Barr.Niri Darong Urges Nigerian To Wisely Made The Right Choice Leaders In 2023

Yakubu Busari

A legal practitioner resident  in Plateau state , Barrister Niri Darong has advised Political parties in the country to avoid any mistakes by fielding a credible candidate to avoid the repeat of what happened in Nigeria 2015 and 2019 Election that is currently hunting the country.

Speaking in an exclusive interview in Plateau state ,Niri Darong says, as the law on independent candidate is yet to be passed, if Political party is not articulated enough by fielding credible candidates, the electorates may be forced to vote in another unpopular candidate which the country is yet to come in terms with in the present administration.

He advised the voters to come all out and vote for the candidate of their choice during Election ,and avoid  flimsy excuses of l am too busy ,my vote will not count even if I vote ,they should go and waste the ballots papers and leave none remaining because it is those leftovers ballot papers they use for Electoral fraud.

Darong  called on the  nation Electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)  and those at the corridor of constitutional amendment to pass into law,  electoral bill that will demystify the hitherto  lucrative Political offices and make it less attractive which  Political office holders are using as Conduit pipe to milk the nation dry.

He applauded the recent supreme court Judgment streamlining the role of the EFCC as he described the judgment as landslide for instance kill, stealing and other crimes comes under universal law which is not supposed to be on the purview of  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

So it’s common to witness the EFCC, investigating somebody or group of persons for stealing, you see the agencies investigating lawyer for communicating with judge that is not financial Crimes, non-economic, at best it’s a professional misconduct which supposed to be handled by the professional body saddled with the responsibility of discipline an earring lawyer like the (NBA).

You see EFCC, doing all manners of things that is not covered in their operations.

Anybody who is involved in failed contract, EFCC go after him ,they did not have the jurisdiction to investigate cheating related cases which is the jurisdiction of the Nigeria police force to do so.

He further added that National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is to investigate drugs related matters, they can’t investigate stealing which is not their mandate.

I read the Supreme Court Judgement, they did a good job as he even went further by  looking at the international instrument to pass his judgement, I Commend the apex court for the judgement.

Barrister Darong who is also one time Secretary of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Plateau state Branch said the recent withholding of assent on the controversial Electoral Bill by Mr. President Mohammedu Buhari,it would have been one of the bills that would have put our Electoral system in the Political right part he stressed that the implications are enormous, the executive represent few, while the National Assembly have Advocated for “Direct” Primaries ,means they are speaking the mind of the majority of Nigeria.

“The reason is also because most of the Political parties in the country are now being control by the bigwigs.

” “Direct” Primaries will also help to add to the credibility of the election ,a situation where a candidate is scoring abysmally low in a delegate elections because the election is rigged speaks volume for the kind of Electoral system Nigeria is operating hence the need for credible system that can be seen to be rigging free.”

He stressed that when you have Direct Primaries it will give more credibility to the General Election.

Darong said Direct Primaries is the best thing that would have happened to Nigeria Electoral system ,” the president should not hold us as a country to ransom for refusing to assent to the proposed bill as the national assembly who are more in population than the executive are voted by us the electorates.

He lamented the way court Judgement are being flouted by mostly the power that be ,but  warned those involved that sooner or later, nemesis will caught up with them when they are no longer in position of authority.

But supported the initial proposition of the National Assembly and state house of assembly police .

“If we have police belonging to the state house and national assembly, the recent invasion of the Plateau state house of assembly during speakership imbroglio by Nigeria Police force last year wouldn’t have happened.”

“Now the embattled speaker of Plateau state house of assembly Nuhu Abok Ayuba has all his personal security men withdraw.”

“That we would have the police answerable to the house of assembly this wouldn’t have happened, the clerk of the house of assembly knows his onus very well which is the reason he maintained his neutrality.”

“You can also remember vividly the action of the police in the 1st tenure of this administration of Mohammedu Buhari , if they have their separate Police , that wouldn’t have happened.”

Under the Judiciary, Barrister Niri said the court did not need the police to direct the court to obey order of the court.

” Ones the court passed  judgement, everybody should obey that judgement ,if you are not satisfied by the judgement, you go on an Appeal ,you can apply for stay of execution instead of putting law into your hands, and say to hell to everybody.”

“That is not the constitution those operating it sworn to defend, that is not what the police who also subscribed to an oath sworn to.”

He warned those disobeying court order because they are in power today to be wary,

” You think you can disobey the law today because you are in position, tomorrow things may turn around ,and you may be at the receiving ends.”

He lamented some people in the corridor of power who is one-time a beneficiary of Court Judgement ,when he is not in power ,is now disobeying court order with impunity to show his strength.

He debunked the alleged contributions of lawyers to Election crisis in court as he further stressed that Court is not polities, they don’t determine Political parties run their affairs.

“What court do is to interpret party’s constitution guidelines, conduct of primary elections and Congress.”

“It’s not the business of the court ,you can cross carpet from one  Political party to another, everybody have the freedom of association ,so people  leave a political party and they are minority ,but still want to have their way, while the majority have their say.”

And advised the politicians to always imbibe the spirit of being democratic, as it’s not a do or die affairs.”

Niri however commended the recent punishment meted on some Judges who issued two conflicting order as their promotion where withheld for 2 to 3 years to serve as deterrent to others, and added that the Nigeria Bar Association has also taken steps to discipline any lawyer or judge that involves in any shameful conduct.

He further advocated for speedy disciplinary measure not only for the judges but also the lawyers.

Barrister Niri cited instance of United States of America for the mere fact that lawyer made pronouncements that election was rigged, without waiting for disciplinary procedure, his license was suspended.

“If that happened in this country Nigeria, judges wouldn’t allowed politicians to mess up with them.”

“When matter is bad, it’s bad , because politicians know the case will go to court and nothing happened , they continued disturbing our courts ,the cases that shouldn’t get to court in the first place ,is dragged to court.”