Apex Court Verdict Frank, Logical, Says Femi Falana

The Supreme Court judgment is very frank, logical and attainable, Lagos-based lawyer Femi Falana has said.

According to him, the judgement has put to rest the unnecessary controversy surrounding the tenure of governors and other public officers in Nigeria.

He said: “Once and for all, the apex court has cleared any doubt regarding the fact that no elected governor can spend more than two terms of eight years.

“Another implication of the judgment is that INEC has been given the go ahead to proceed with the gubernatorial election it had planned to conduct.

“Since the Supreme Court did not make consequential order, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice has rightly enjoined the Speakers of the House of Assembly in the affected States to assume office pursuant to Section 191, subsection 2 of the constitution.

“It is therefore embarrassing that the president of the Customary Court of Appeal of Kogi State was said to have usurped the constitutional function of the Chief Judge of that State by swearing in the so called governor elect, instead of the Speaker in strict compliance to the provision of the constitution.

“I do hope that the said president of the Customary Court of Appeal who violently violated the constitution will be brought to book by the National Judicial Council without any further delay. I appeal to the federal government which has pledged to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court to flush out any of the ex-governors or their stooges who may be parading themselves as acting governor,” he said