The
Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay
(SAN), has asked the Federal Government to obey court orders regarding the
detention
of embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki
(retd.); and the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim
El-Zakzaky.
Sagay said
this during an interview with The PUNCH while reacting to calls by the Nigerian
Bar Association for the release of Dasuki and El-Zakzaky.
The senior
advocate advised the Federal Government to either obey the court order by
immediately releasing them or to appeal the orders.
“The court
orders should be obeyed and I don’t know what reason the government has for not
releasing them. If they have good reasons, they should canvass the reasons
before the court and leave the court to decide.
“If the
court rules against them, then they should appeal against the ruling and then
apply for stay of the ruling pending the appeal. That is what the government
should do rather than detaining them perpetually,” Sagay added.
The PACAC
chairman also agreed with the NBA regarding the prolonged probe of judges
without trial.
According to Punch report; The NBA had,
on Monday, asked the Federal Government to immediately stop the investigation
of the judges so that they could return to work.
Sagay,
however, called on the government to wrap up the probe by prosecuting the
judges immediately or by dropping the cases.
He added,
“The Federal Government should hurry up and if they cannot file the adequate
charges, then they should inform the people involved and allow them to continue
with their careers on the bench.”
The PACAC
chairman, however, disagreed with the NBA regarding the non-confirmation of the
acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim
Magu.
The association
had called on the legislature and the executive to work out their differences,
adding that Magu’s issue had made Nigeria a laughing stock among the comity of
nations.
Sagay argued
that the NBA’s concern was misplaced as the President was empowered by the
constitution to make some appointments without recourse to the Senate.
He stated,
“What makes Nigeria a laughing stock in the face of the world?
“It is clear
that the President can appoint an acting head of any of the agencies and that
has been done. It is also clear from the terms of Section 176 of the
Constitution that the President can appoint a person outright head, not even
acting, without consulting anybody.”
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