Lagos based human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana has asked former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff to sue him rather than planning to sue the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies.
Sheriff had threatened to sue the Australian after he accused him as one of the sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency.
According to Falana, who spoke at the 5th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture titled State of the Nation and 2015 general elections: issues, posers and challenges before us, held in Lagos.
“I am expecting Senator Ali Madu Sheriff to sue me. I heard that he wanted to sue an Australian (Dr. Steven Davies). He doesn’t need that. He should sue me. I am waiting for him to sue me. Not only did he fund that organization (Boko Haram), he also had a deal with them,”said Falana.
He noted that Sheriff cannot deny all the allegations made against him, saying; “In 2003, he had a deal with the Boko Haram leaders to help him win the election and that if he wins his re-election, he will compensate the organization.
“When he won the election, he appointed one of them as Commissioner for Religious Affairs to implement Sharia in that state.”
Falana also ccused the Federal Government of shielding certain facts from citizens of the country.
“The Federal Government is yet to react to the statement by Dr. Stephen Davies against Sheriff. I expect the central government to have made its position known on the issue.”
The lawyer therefore, called for concerted effort to tackle the menace of Boko Haram, saying, “People’s Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC should stop politicizing the Boko Haram issue but what is important is unity to tackle the menace”
In his remarks, former petroleum resources minister, Prof Tam David-West lamented the nefarious activities of Boko Haram sect in the country, saying, “We do not have a nation. If we have a nation, the problem confronting the country will have been resolved earlier than now.”
“In fact, we are not at crossroad but we have missed the road. There is no road at the moment for the country to attain greatness.”
Speaking on why the country’s challenges seem endless, David-West said, “What do you expect from a country ruled by a Ph.d holder who said that 16 is greater than 19. The country when the president budget N1 billion for food in a year and cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wage. Daily, I have begun to lose faith in our election and leadership.
David-West dispelled the claim that the country will fail to exist after 2015 election, saying, “we will not break in 2015.”
But he said “The citizens need to wake up from their slumber. We are too complacent and this was the reason why the current public office holders take the citizens for granted.
He continued; “Election affords citizens the opportunity to change government which they do not like. I do not believe in revolution but the citizens must go on the street to stop bad government. If 2015 election will be selection rather than election, Nigerians must rise up to stop it. It has to be election and not selection.”
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