We want to look at the issue of the role of the Nigerian Judiciary as regards Integrity and Democracy. And I think it’s important that we try to separate out the difference between what a government wants, and what an independent … an independent judiciary owes in a Democracy. I say that because I often hear people talking about: We should have our judges elected.

Great to be here and we’re discussing big significant political issues that are happening everywhere in the country today. Big story today: detained journalists charged with treason for criticising the government, and the list is growing. From what it looks like, a number of journalists have been detained by Federal as well as State authorities, accusing them of things like treason and just a host of other allegations against these journalists, and also bloggers, like Amnesty International did point out also.

Well thanks very much Aghogho and Rotimi. And I really want to welcome Uadamen Ilevbaoje to … he’s the Head of Tracka. And if anybody follows me on Twitter, they will know that I’m a big fan of Tracka. And it kind of dates back to a period when I was writing a chapter about Nigeria’s quest for Freedom of Information legislation for a book being published by the Columbia University Press.

IDEAS Radio 30 Aug 2019 Guest: Amnesty International Country Director Osai Ojigo Aghogho Oboh: Alright, we’ve just been shadow boxing before we start the Public Square.  Rotimi Sankore throwing punches! So, this Public Square … Rotimi Sankore: The promo sounded too exciting! Ayo Obe: Then you should be excited! AgO: We are indeed excited.  Public…

But wow, things have been happening! I mean, I turn my back for one minute and then we see all sorts of things happening. Of course the swearing in of ministers and assignment of portfolios to them. Rotimi I was saying to you that there are so many angles to it, but from an IDEAS point of view, you know the issues that we’re looking at are Integrity, Democracy, Ethics and Accountability. And we have to recognise that an appointed minister is really an out … branch of the President, so they effectively represent the President in the task that he has assigned to them.

But you know it’s interesting that we mention the Oval Office, because in the … the occupant of the Oval Office and the previous occupant of our own equivalent which is – well I don’t know what the shape the office is, but the building itself is the, is Aso Rock – had been … has been causing quite a stir, with yet another of his famous open letters to a sitting Head of State. And having – in the run up to the previous elections – advised the President to resign, the former President Obasanjo has now written another letter in which he talks about the wave of insecurity in the country, and quite frankly, ends up by saying that the buck stops on the desk of the President.

Or a particular individual who, as we understand it now is in the hands of the Nigeria Police, and may face criminal charges, I thought that we should look at things in a … it in the context of Legislators and Accountability, because at the same time as the … Senator Abbo is being asked to account for his behaviour, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission has now taken up the mantle, or the gauntlet I should say, the gauntlet thrown down by Tracka Nigeria and some other NGOs in Nigeria, about the Constituency Projects.

in other countries from Indonesia to Kenya. So it’s been interesting. But I mean, I think that what’s been interesting about the EU Observation report, has been the reaction of the parties, which perhaps you’re going to get into when we get into the Public Square proper.

IDEAS Radio 7 June 2019
it’s the ministerial positions. At the State level it’s the …. the … it’s the … Sorry, at the State level it’s the Commissioners, okay. Now, you say Rotimi that “the appointed ones” for, but actually, it’s really specifically those ones. Because for example, when (I’m speaking from experience), when, if you’re appointed to a body like the Police Service Commission (as I was), then the people, the Senate that is screening me knows that I’ve been appointed … that’s what I’ve been appointed to.