SERAP

  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Feb 27, 2022
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  • Comments Off on NBA-SPIDEL SUMMIT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS HOLDS TODAY

NBA-SPIDEL SUMMIT ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS HOLDS TODAY

The eagerly awaited “Town Hall Meeting” of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) will hold today at the Marriot Hotel, GRA, Ikeja.

The hybrid summit has the theme, “Justiciability of Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution: Pragmatic Measures for Government’s Accountability.” Expected at the parley are judicial officers, political actors, legislators, lawyers and civil society leaders.

While all slots for in-person attendance have been fully taken up in compliance with COVID-19 protocols, intending participants can still be a part of the summit by registering at https://tinyurl.com/nbaspidelth2022.

Fiery human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN is the Lead Presenter for First Plenary while Mr. Anthony Ojukwu SAN, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is the Lead Presenter for Second Plenary. The Chairman of the summit is Justice Helen Ogunwumiju of the Supreme Court.

Discussants for the First Plenary are Justice Onuoha Ogwe, Chief Judge of Abia State; Hon. Luke Onofiok, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary; Mr. Suleiman Usman SAN, Sokoto State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice; Mr. Emmanuel Okorodudu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance Unit at the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja and Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

The discussants for Second Plenary include Mr. Olawale Fapohunda SAN, Ekiti State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice; Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director, Enough is Enough (EiE); Ms. Cecilia Aransiola of Amnesty International; Mr. Samson Itodo of YIAGA Africa and Mr. Soji Apampa, Chief Executive at Integrity Organization. Both sessions will be moderated by ace broadcaster, Mr. Kayode Akintemi.

While Justice Ogunwumiju will give the Chairman’s Opening Remarks, Welcome Remarks will be delivered by NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata; NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, Dr. Monday Ubani, and Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Steve Abar. The Vote of Thanks will be delivered by NBA-SPIDEL Secretary, Dr. Princess Frank-Chukwuani.

Organised by NBA-SPIDEL, the sessions coordinator is Mr. Kunle Ajagbe. The sponsors include Babalakin & Co., Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative, Y. C. Maikyau & Co. and JB Daudu & Co.

According to a statement by Dr. Monday Ubani, NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, “The aim of the Town Hall Meeting is to arouse the consciousness of critical institutions of government, particularly the Judiciary and Legislature, with a view to ensuring the enforcement of the basic socio-economic rights provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other enabling laws for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

“The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) is desirous to see Nigerians enjoy the basic socio-economic rights provided in the Nigerian Constitution as well as other enabling laws,” adding that NBA-SPIDEL has a vision to make public interest and development law a fundamental aspect of national life and development.

According to the statement, SPIDEL which manifests NBA’s commitment to promoting the role and application of law to economic development and growth of public interest law in Nigeria, has been living up to its bidding.

In 2021, ahead of the sold-out NBA-SPIDEL yearly conference in Ibadan, Dr. Ubani had decried the delay in implementing provisions of the Constitution concerning autonomy of the judiciary.

“We want a judiciary that doesn’t go behind begging the executive to give them their resources in order to carry out the basic responsibilities that the constitution has imposed on them. We want a judiciary that can deliver justice without fear or favour, its long-term effect is what we are looking at, not probably because of the short-term losses we are suffering but I tell you this, if we succeed in doing this, we would have actually sorted out a very big problem for us as a nation. The issue of administration of justice is very key,” he had said.

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Feb 23, 2022
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  • Comments Off on OGUNWUMIJU, FALANA, OJUKWU, SERAP, OTHERS TACKLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS AT NBA-SPIDEL PARLEY

OGUNWUMIJU, FALANA, OJUKWU, SERAP, OTHERS TACKLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS AT NBA-SPIDEL PARLEY

Supreme Court jurist, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju will on Monday chair the eagerly anticipated Town Hall Meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL).

The hybrid event which has the theme “Justiciability of Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution: Pragmatic Measures for Government’s Accountability” is slated to hold at the exquisite Marriot Hotel in GRA Ikeja, Lagos. Expected at the parley are judicial officers, political actors, legislators, lawyers and civil society leaders.

While leading human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN is the Lead Speaker, the discussants include Hon. Luke Onofiok, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary; Mr. Anthony Ojukwu SAN, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); Justice Kazeem Alogba, Chief Judge of Lagos State; Justice Onuoha Ogwe, Chief Judge of Abia State; Yemi Adamolekun, Executive Director, Enough is Enough (EiE), and Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, Deputy Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

According to a statement by Dr. Monday Ubani, NBA-SPIDEL Chairman, “The aim of the Town Hall Meeting is to arouse the consciousness of critical institutions of government, particularly the Judiciary and Legislature, with a view to ensuring the enforcement of the basic socio-economic rights provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other enabling laws for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

“The Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) is desirous to see Nigerians enjoy the basic socio-economic rights provided in the Nigerian Constitution as well as other enabling laws,” adding that NBA-SPIDEL has a vision to make public interest and development law a fundamental aspect of national life and development.

According to the statement, SPIDEL which manifests NBA’s commitment to promoting the role and application of law to economic development and growth of public interest law in Nigeria, has been living up to its bidding.

In 2021, ahead of the sold-out NBA-SPIDEL yearly conference in Ibadan, Dr. Ubani had decried the delay in implementing provisions of the Constitution concerning autonomy of the judiciary.

“We want a judiciary that doesn’t go behind begging the executive to give them their resources in order to carry out the basic responsibilities that the constitution has imposed on them. We want a judiciary that can deliver justice without fear or favour, its long-term effect is what we are looking at, not probably because of the short-term losses we are suffering but I tell you this, if we succeed in doing this, we would have actually sorted out a very big problem for us as a nation. The issue of administration of justice is very key,” he had said.

Organised by NBA-SPIDEL with NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata as the Chief Host, physical attendance at the venue is limited to only 200 persons in line with COVID-19 protocols while other participants will attend virtually.

To register, click on https://tinyurl.com/nbaspidelth2022

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Jun 22, 2021
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  • Comments Off on BREAKING: ECOWAS COURT TO HEAR SUIT ON TWITTER BAN TODAY

BREAKING: ECOWAS COURT TO HEAR SUIT ON TWITTER BAN TODAY

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice is about now hearing the suit filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) challenging the “suspension” of micro-blogging site, Twitter by the Federal Government.

In a tweet monitored by CITY LAWYER, SERAP stated that the government had filed an objection against the suit, adding that SERAP would take steps to respond to the objection.

Said SERAP: “BREAKING: Twitter ban: The Nigerian government this evening served us a notice of preliminary objection and counter-affidavit to the ECOWAS suit by SERAP and 176 Nigerians.

“Since the suit is coming up tomorrow [22 June 2021], we are filing our response electronically tonight.”

Several commentators commended SERAP for its decision to challenge the ban, even as one Cletus Nwafor @CletusNwafor said: “#TwitterBaninNigeria is a human rights crisis that must be resisted. #StoptheNigerianGovt #Resist #KeepitOn.”

Many individuals and organisations including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have lampooned the ban on Twitter, even as many have continued to access the site through virtual private network (VPN).

Among the plaintiffs are the Registered Trustees of SERAP as well as former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili and co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, Aisha Yesufu.

The court, in a notice to the plaintiffs’ counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) and respondent’s counsel Mrs. Maimuna Lami Shiru, stated that the hearing of an application for an injunction would be virtual.

“Notice is hereby given that this application has been fixed for hearing of the application for Interim Measure on June 22, 2021, at 10:00 AM and will be heard on that day if the business of the court permits or otherwise on some adjourned day of which you may not receive further notice,” the court stated.

In the suit numbered ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21, SERAP is seeking “An order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and subjecting anyone including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassment, intimidation, arrest and criminal prosecution, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

SREAP asserts that “if this application is not urgently granted, the Federal Government will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter and threaten to impose criminal and other sanctions on Nigerians, telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and other people using Twitter in Nigeria, the perpetual order sought in this suit might be rendered nugatory.”

“The suspension of Twitter is aimed at intimidating and stopping Nigerians from using Twitter and other social media platforms to assess government policies, expose corruption, and criticise acts of official impunity by the agents of the Federal Government,” added SERAP.

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