Lai: Why this government flouts court orders
Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, has explained why the government of President Muhammadu Buhari flouts court orders.
Speaking in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show, Mohammed said the government disregards some court orders in the interest of national security.
The lawyer also said the judiciary does not have the “entire picture” on some cases at hand and it was the responsibility of government to balance human rights and national security.
When asked why the government continually flouts court rulings on the release of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA) and Ibrahim El Zakzaky, Lai said: “Every government will balance national security with human rights; every country in the world. It is the level of the balancing.
“As a government, I will balance national security against human rights; and then I will take a decision. Because there is security, there is stability, that the courts also exist.
“What I am saying (is) that the court has ruled but the court does not have the entire picture when it comes to national security. I am a lawyer too, therefore I have utmost respect for the judiciary.”
Mohammed however added that Nigerians cannot “pick one or two cases” and conclude that Buhari runs a government of impunity.
“You can’t pick two, three cases which border on national security to condemn a whole government and say this government is a government of impunity,” he added.
“How many cases are determined daily in Nigeria? I still say every government has that right to balance national security.”
On the health of Buhari, Mohammed said he last spoke to the president the day he travelled, but other ministers had spoken to him afterwards “and they know the president is fine”.
We are in a democracy.We have a constitution.A doctrine for the separation of powers is our backbone.Lai, stop this.
Not respecting court decisions is the greatest threat to national security.
When Lai was the spokesman for the Opposition, he demanded for a daily update on Yar’adua’s health status. He said the President was a public figure and Nigerians had a right to know the health status of their President.
I expect him to practice what he preached by giving us daily updates on Buhari- telling us he has not spoken to him since he left for London is not good enough.