Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has charged African lawyers to fight against the arbitrary exercise of power by African leaders.
Tambuwal, who gave the charge in a keynote message at the 2020 Virtual Conference organised by the African Bar Association (AfBA) in Niamey, Niger Republic, urged lawyers to ensure that the right policies are put in place to stimulate development.
The governor stated that this is the time to insist that every State in Africa must be governed according to the wishes of the people and dictates of the constitution.
He said there is a need to reset Africa’s socio-economic and political agenda to align with current realities in a post-COVID-19 era.
According to him, “The new political agenda, in my considered view, should focus on democratisation and human rights. The rule of strong men and military dictatorship which was the hallmark of leadership for an exceptionally long time in our continent did not lead to sustainable progress.
“It never advanced the fortunes of our people. Rather, it took us several years back without any meaningful development to show for it.
“The world has moved on with democracy and rule of law especially in this age of globalization. We cannot afford to be left behind.
“This is the time to insist that every State in Africa must be governed according to the wishes of the people and dictates of the Constitution. Democracy promotes political inclusiveness and rule of law.
“We must, therefore, say No to arbitrariness in governance. Given our training as lawyers, we are better positioned to fight against the arbitrary exercise of power by elected leaders in the continent.
“Lawyers must also lead to ensure right policies are put in place, to engender effective business support, capacity building, imbibe technology and product innovation and access to sufficient financing of small and medium enterprises so as to improve employment generation, enhance productivity, and promote social inclusion.”