Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Paulen Tallen, is in the eye of the storm as the Plateau-born minister might have ran herself into trouble with her recent reckless outburst. Apparently taking her role and position as a champion of women’s interest too far, the minister was quoted to have made a very careless statement, disparaging the judiciary.
According to multiple reports, Tallen, who is also a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had played to the gallery in an attempt to impress her immediate constituency – the womenfolk – on October 15, 2022 on the sidelines of the First Global Reunion and Annual General Meeting of the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Bida Old Girls Association, in Abuja.
Tallen was quoted as saying that “the ruling that sacked Aishatu Binani, the only female governorship candidate in the country is a kangaroo judgment that should be rejected by well-meaning Nigerians, ” adding, “The Court is declaring that the party has no candidate. This is unacceptable. It is like a kangaroo judgment, but we will not give up.”
Her comment was in respect of the judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/YL/12/2022 between Mallam Nuhu Ribadu v. All Progressives Congress (APC) & two others delivered on October 14, 2022.
Just like many other concerned Nigerians, we condemn the statement , which has neither been denied nor controverted by Tallen despite the controversy it has generated so far. It is totally reckless and unexpected of a federal government official , more so, a minister of Tallen’s standing.
However, we are not too surprised at the outburst. It was yet another display of sheer arrogance that has, sadly, become a trait of ministers under the Muhammadu Buhari Administration with utter disregard for other arms of government. It is only under the present regime that you find ministers trying to play god and carrying themselves around as if all powers belong to them. .
Nonetheless, we are happy that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is taking the matter up appropriately. NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, has swung into action by petitioning the minister and demanding a withdrawal of the reckless statement with an apology to the court. NBA, correctly, said it would not sit idly and watch the Executive rubbish, an organ of government that is to provide a check on the excesses of the Executive in a democracy.
Describing Tallen’s statement as disparaging and contemptuous, NBA has threatened to drag the minister to court for ”being unfit to continue to hold any public office in Nigeria,” if she fails to tender an unreserved apology.
NBA maintained that though it does not have any interest in the matter and holds no brief for any of the parties in the dispute, it would not shy away from its responsibility of protecting the integrity and independence of the Courts. The Association also affirmed that it does not and will not take kindly to the action of any person or group of persons which treat the Court and its processes or proceedings with levity and contempt.
According to NBA, Tallen comments were unconstitutional, careless, reckless, disparaging, and, in deed , a call to disobey the judgment of court and therefore contemptuous of the Federal High Court of Nigeria;
Unfortunately, Tallen has not deemed it fit to respond to the NBA’s complaints and has not even acknowledged the Association’s protest letter .This is highly condemnable as it is another display of arrogance for which Buhari’s ministers are notorious for.
In a democracy, the principle of checks and balances is sacrosanct and no arm of government should consider itself as superior to the other. It is rather sad that the Nigerian democracy is not fully abiding with this principle as the Executive sees itself as superior to the other arms of government hence the ministers feel that they are above the law.
Executive arrogance and recklessness are antithetical to democratic principles . Members of the Executive arm of government should not be seen to be disparaging the judiciary through reckless and careless statements in a bid to play to the gallery.
We therefore call on ministers to respect their offices and stop casting aspersions on judgments from lawfully-constituted courts of law. Tallen will be doing herself and the office she occupies a lot of good by tendering an unreserved apology to the court she has rubbished and the judiciary as a respect for the mutual interdependence of the three arms of government, the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.
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