Following the numerous but lingering legal battles between some state actors and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, with its attendant charges and counter-charges, a US Senator, Patrick Joseph Leahy, has expressed concern over the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Abubaker Malami (SAN), against the Chairman of HEDA, Suraju Olan.
On Sunday, the high-ranking US senator expressed his views on the topic via his personal Twitter account.
The senator, who is also the US Senate’s Pro Tempore (temporary) President, urged Nigeria’s court to respect the rule of law and freedom of expression without fear or favor of any kind.
According to him, the Judiciary must not disappoint the citizens as the last hope of the common man in an environment where some persons use rare privileges or opportunities to inflict inhuman treatments on other citizens in diverse guises.
His words: “I and others in Washington are concerned with the charges against Olanrewaju Suraju who has been a brave voice against corruption. We look to Nigeria’s judiciary to uphold the rule of law and freedom of expression.”
Reacting to the tweet, the HEDA Chairman reiterated the organization’s resolve to stand against every enemy of the citizens, especially those in the public sector who have decided to misuse and abuse the people’s mandate to manage public resources.
According to Olanrewaju, the fight against injustice, maladministration, mismanagement of public resources, and other inhuman treatments by some public persons must be sustained.
He said: “HEDA and its partners are up to the task in exposing the shenanigans of the Ministry of Justice under Mr. Abubakar Malami and the unprofessional role of the Police investigators in the matter.
“We shall jealously protect the civic space and rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression.”
He called on other civil society organizations and individuals in the same course to remain undaunted and auspicious in the fight, saying: “We must not let these perverse elements to take us for a ride, any individual who is poised to inflict undue pains on Nigerians must be resisted.”
Olanrewaju, who would be arraign before Justice Binta Nyako by 9 am at the Federal High Court, Abuja on January 24, 2022, reiterated that no sadist in the country would go unexposed.
He challenged the judiciary to be upright, forthright, and fearless in speedy administration of justice, no matter whose ox is gored, adding: “All we seek is people must do the right thing at the right time and the right place for the right purpose and achieve the right results.”
