Anietie Udobit, Abuja
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, to immediately withdraw and apologise for what it described as a “patently unlawful request” for Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, to obtain permission before visiting Edo state.
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In a statement posted on X on Sunday, SERAP said the governor’s directive violates Obi’s fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution and international human rights instruments.
“Under sections 33(1) and 41(1) of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] every Nigerian, including Mr Obi is entitled to the rights to life and freedom of movement, including the ‘freedom to move freely throughout Nigeria,’” SERAP said.
It noted that the same freedoms are enshrined in articles 4 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as articles 6 and 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Nigeria is a party to.
“The right to freedom of movement is a basic element of liberty. The freedom to move freely throughout Nigeria guards against government repression, political intolerance and serves as a check on arbitrary state action,” SERAP said.
The group reminded Okpebholo of his constitutional oath of office and duty to act under the law.
The group stated: “Governor Monday Okpebholo must uphold his constitutional oath of office, including ‘to discharge [his] duties to the best of [his] ability, faithfully and in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution and the law.’
“He must also ‘not allow [his] personal interest to influence [his] official conduct or [his] official decisions,’ as well as his duty to ‘do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.’”
SERAP called on the governor to “immediately withdraw the threat, end the executive rascality, publicly apologise to Nigerians, and uphold the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.”