- As Senate warns against imminent plane crashes
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has been sued over alleged “campaign of calumny against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15m (US) and ought to be prosecuted.”
In a statement dated 20 October 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization said, “On 18th October 2016 at about 3pm we received court papers dated 6th October 2016 from a bailiff. The papers indicate that one Union of Niger Delta Youth Organization for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos against SERAP.”
According to Mumuni, “the court papers also indicate a prayer for an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in further vilification, condemnation and conviction of the Former First Lady Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicized pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the Plaintiff/Applicant for owning legitimate private property, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons.”
Mumuni also revealed that, “The suit is seeking an order directing SERAP to stay all action and to desist forthwith from proceeding against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, with any process whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. SERAP was also served a separate application to be joined in the suit number FHC/L/CS/1318/2016 earlier filed by SERAP against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over allegations of $15m unexplained wealth against Mrs Jonathan.”
In reaction to the development, Mumuni said, “SERAP categorically rejects these misleading and entirely unfounded accusations against us by Mrs Patience Jonathan and her group, and we will vigorously oppose the suit in court. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. We are now consulting with our lawyers and will be preparing shortly our defence in court.”
According to Mumuni, “At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Mrs Jonathan was guilty of the allegations against her. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m.”
Mumuni also said, “To be sure, SERAP is not engaged in any campaign against Mrs Jonathan or any other politically exposed persons for that matter. Our suit was filed against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and not Mrs Jonathan. It’s a joke to accuse SERAP of trying to coerce the Attorney General to perform his constitutional duty, as this is for the court to decide.”
Mumuni said that, “SERAP consistently strives to ensure that its human rights and accountability work meet international standards and the highest standards of analytical rigor devoid of bias or assumptions as to individual’s guilt. Mrs Jonathan should end her attacks on an NGO simply working to make the government function to improve the conditions of millions of marginalized and disadvantaged Nigerians.”
In the meantime, the Senate warned yesterday, that if the Federal Government, through its agencies saddled with the management of the aviation sector failed to take urgent steps to address issues in the industry, Nigeria would likely experience plane crashes.
The warning is coming barely 10 years after the country experienced a spate of fatal plane crashes. According to the Senate, it has become imperative to fix the ailing aviation industry. It also noted that the current monetary policy of government was choking and crippling operators of the aviation industry.
The Senate has asked the Federal Government to prevail on the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to insist that airlines operating in the country use the Naira as the official currency in all transactions in the aviation industry, rather than the use of foreign currencies, especially the dollars.
The upper chambers also urged the Federal Government to ensure that it extracted from airlines which will be benefiting from the government special reviews, commitments not to increase fares arbitrarily and guarantee competitive ticket pricing within the regional market indicators. The Senate also expressed its willingness to support Federal Government’s move to intervene in the current challenges to save the travelling public from more hardship and reduce the suffering in the aviation sector.
The warning and resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye, APC, Kogi West, titled Disturbing Developments in the Nigerian Aviation Industry. In his contribution to the motion, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who raised the alarm of imminent crashes, said airlines operating in the country could no longer access foreign exchange used in servicing their fleet of aircraft.
Senator Akpabio, who warned that some operators might start cutting corners because of their inability to access foreign exchange, which would lead to endangering the lives of air travelers, stressed that many of the airlines in the country were bankrupt and dead.
According to him, many of them have either withdrawn or relocated to neighbouring countries. “These problems are caused by policies of government. Monetary policies of government have not allowed the airlines to operate. “Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended says that government must ensure the security and welfare of the people. ‘’We are likely to have a spectre of crashes because most airlines cannot access foreign exchange to service their aircraft.
Vanguard
