Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights CCHR rejects the ban on okad, three wheelers.

AgegePulse Magazine

Lagos State government should stop toying with the means of survival of the common people.

 The governor  should be reminded of how we fought "their oga " in Lagos when he introduced 7pm closing time for Okada when he was the governor. No reason could be adduced for the failure of government to provide jobs for the citizenry which brought about the use of motorcycles and or three wheelers as a last resort to eke a living.

There is no law that justifies infringement on the freedom of movement. Amendment to 1999 constitution that allows any law reasonably made in a democracy can not give credence to this insensitivity of Lagos State Government.
Depriving people of their means of survival without the provision of alternative jobs is the highest level of insensitivity by any government.

The government  should be prepared for a serious fight against the unlawful pronouncement.
Consultation with the state attorney general and  commissioner for justice is advised. Its certain we shall meet at the law court to prove the illegality of the anti people order.
All legitimate means ,including protests shall be employed to fight for the okada riders and three wheelers operators. They are part of the toiling masses and under no circumstances shall we abandon them for the oppressors.

Democratic Commercial Motorcyclists Association of Nigeria DECOMAN, an  affiliate of Campaign for Constitutionalism and Human Rights CCHR, will leave no stone  unturned to make the state reverse the unlawful pronouncement.

Its ridiculous that a government which can not provide jobs for the people is bent on taken away the means of livelihood of the people.

No doubt ,some criminals use okada and tricycles to commit crime but the truth of the matter is that those using motorcycles and tricycles for crimes are criminals and not the toiling people using "okada and keke" as they are popular called for legitimate means of living.
Criminals make use of any means of transportation to carry out their nefarious activities. They use cars,small buses as well big buses too.They make use of their legs too.

I would have expected the government to ban mini buses ,LT buses etc within those Local Government areas and their so called LCDAs if there is anything like that recognised by the 1999 CFRN.
Is the commissioner and the state government not aware some criminals ( Not commercial vehicle drivers  doing their legitimate duty) use buses for one chance in every part of Lagos State? Why is the state government not banning commercial  buses in those areas?

The ban of commercial motorcyclists tricycle operators in the local government areas is  totally  unacceptable.
Its a gross violation of the fundamental rights of those concerned and a discrimination against the people of those affected areas. The Constitution is very clear ,express and unambiguous when it declares no Nigerian shall be discriminated against.

Why is the ban not in entire Lagos State but certain parts of the state? Does it mean the crimes and accidents given as  reasons for the ban  are peculiar to those Local government areas alone ?
Why should the government shift its failure and lack of ability to govern the state appropriately in line with Section 14(2) (b )of 1999 Constitution on the people whose reason for resorting to okada was as a result of planlessness  of successive governments in Nigeria?

Section 4 of the Police Act states ;" the Police shall be employed for investigation of crimes and apprehension of offenders".
If there is infiltration of criminals within the okada and keke riders,why can't the state employ the police to fish out the criminals among them?Truly, accidents do occur and some may be caused by reckless riders but reckless and bad  drivers do  cause accidents too.

Why are the LASTMA officials on our roads? Are they not meant to watch over drivers and those riding whatever on our roads,be it okada,bicycle or tricycle and sanction erring ones ?

It must also be stressed that 95% of okada and three wheeler riders bought them on hire purchase and have to pay.

 How and where will  they get money to pay? Is the government ready to pay for all of them?

The ruling  Party in Lagos State made use of these okada and keke riders to get to power.
Helmets were even distributed  to lure the gullible ones to vote for their party at all levels.

Recently,the state government was said to have signed an agreement with Gokada as a source of revenue for the gvernment.

Why is it now that the ruling party is just waking up to raise the menace of the riders ?

I have said at many fora,that even as an advocate for the okada riders , I will support any government that is serious about giving okada riders alternative jobs in order to ban commercial usage of okada and three wheelers  outrightly.

The  state government should have a rethink not to put lives of several children in jeopardy. Parents of several children rely on Okada or Keke three wheelers to feed and cloth them.

The State Commissioner  for health should tell the governor what happens if children
are not properly fed. God forbid, can the state government hospitals  (said to be free yet people pay for ordinary consultation cards and everything
 including drugs ) cope if children start falling sick due to malnutrition ?
If the government fails to listen to wise counsel and go ahead to enforce the ban, it  should be prepared to contend with us at CCHR .

 We are determined to "fight" the government legally for this provocative and unlawful ban of people's legitimate means of survival.

I hereby call on Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Trade Union Congress TUC, United Action for Democracy UAD, Committee for Workers Rights CWR , Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria FIWON, Lagos State Civil Society Partnership LACSOP, Joint Action Front JAF, Public Interest Coalition PIC and others to prevail on Lagos State  government to rescind its decision to commence enforcement of the illegal ban from 1st February, ,2020.

The entire okada and Keke Marwa operators should come together to join every peaceful protest against the order.
The motto of  DECOMAN , No more oppression ,  should be the stand of all Keke and Okada riders regardless of the unions they belong.

We say NO to the BAN on commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators without providing them with alternative jobs.

A People United Can Never Be Defeated.

Toyin Raheem.
Executive Secretary,  CCHR.

CCHR, CACOBAG, REACT OVER APPROVAL OF N10B TO KOGI TWO DAYS TO GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION.

...NIGERIA SENATORS  SHOULD STOP ARROGATING POWER TO THEMSELVES.

...SAYS THEY CAN NOT GAG NIGERIANS WITH "HATE SPEECH COMMISSION.

Where are we heading to in this country ?

What do we say of senate's approval of N10b for Kogi State two days to governorship  election ?

How do we get good governance in this country?

This act of the senate has further proven us right that Lawan led senate and Gbajabiamila led House of Reps may just be rubber stamp legislative houses.No doubt,we have been vindicated.
The fight against Corruption is being threatened regardless of the efforts of EFCC and ICPC.

Our Constitution in Section 15 (5) equates abuse of office with Corruption. This means by extension,abuse of office is also a form of Corruption.

Why the approval of  ten billion naira to Kogi State now? We are optimistic, the said money will be released to the state   instantly.

It's not an overstatement that the present government and APC may eventually murder this democracy.

The essence of three arms of government is to keep each other in check.

The legislature and executive can not guarantee  good governance if what they do between themselves is what Baba 70 of blessed memory called "arrangee" government.

How do one expect a legislative house that forfeits its independence to the executive to perform its oversight function?

A senate that has no concern for the welfare and feeling of Nigerians , that does not bother to debate or investigate the link between a minister and Al Qaeda and by extension Boko Haram, that does not debate how to truly conquer acts of terrorism in Nigeria, that treats disobedience of court order by executive with levity  but occupied itself with how to hang and murder Nigerians through " hate speech commission"

As much as we at CCHR and  CACOBAG detest capital punishment except in matters like murder , armed robbery, terrorism etc. We would have expected the senate to raise the issue of death sentence for corrupt elements , kidnappers , election riggers, Boko Haram members etc.,though we would still oppose it but for the senate not to think of anything other than death for Nigerians because of "hate speech" is shocking and an embarrassment to us as a people.

We wonder if the senate is conversant with the Iaws? Are the senators saying we don't have adequate provisions in the our statutory books to take care of hate speech ?
The senate should stop threatening us with death .They should be reminded that this life is ephemeral, everybody including the senators will die one day.

God did not create us to live for ever. Everybody has his or her appointed time. Many of us  " challenged " death by fighting the military to submission as to have this democracy which the senators are enjoying and reaping from where many of them did not sew.

Many of them took cover everywhere while we were on the streets in the day and at night to have democracy.
Dying for the cause that one believes and dying for one s country is not only heroic but also Godly.

Nigerians will never keep quiet when we are being oppressed or misgorverned.
This government should be reminded that it got to power through "hate speech" against it's predecessor in office.

Many APC leaders, members and supporters  employed several " hate speeches " either rightly or wrongly to have sympathy and votes of Nigerians.
Why is it now that the government that came to power as a result of several propaganda against it's predecessor is now afraid of "such hate speeches " it once employed to get the political power being used against the electorate that voted for it ?
To us at CACOBAG, nobody can gag Nigerians from speaking against any bad policy of the government and condemning  those involved. Either it's called "hate speech " or whatever is not our concern. It could be regarded as anything.
Nigerians now understand  better the need to know  the pedigree  of those to elect into various political positions.

Those that seek power to oppress and for selfish aggrandizement will do Nigeria and Nigerians no good.

No Nigerian should loose sleep over this  provocative bill being debated by the senate. It's no issue at all. It's dead  on arrival.
The Senate should first of all go ahead to amend Sections 38 and 39 of  1999 CFRN as amended for them to have the nonsensical and nauseating ",hate speech " bill passed into law.

Section 1(3 ) of our Constitution is express without any form of ambiguity.
Not only that , for some of the senators that are desperate to have the bill passed into law may say it's " simple and easy " to amend the Constitution. They must also go ahead to use their "power "  to amend African Charter on Human and People's Rights as well as Universal Declaration on Human Rights.

Only then can they succed with the draconian law being proposed.
In their interest, they should not debate the bill further or else they should be prepared for recall by their constituents, legal battles in the court of law to declare the law a nullity and mother of all protests by Nigerians to seal the senate chambers.
We as electorate are their employers. They should not arrogate any power or superiority to themselves.
We hope wise counsel will prevail.


   Signed.
Sunday Ilori.
For:CCHR
07080075038
ccrightsfighter@gmail.com

    Signed
Toyin Raheem
  For :,CACOBAG
08063141670.
cacobag@gmail.com