The Muhammadu Buhari administration has no option than to respect the country’s Constitution, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said.

Speaking yesterday against the background of Buhari’s open declaration during his Presidential media Chat not to obey court-ordered bails for citizens Nnamdi Kanu and Sambo Daskui, NBA President Augustine Alegeh, SAN, told the Lagos-based Vanguard newspaper: “Government has a need to respect the rule of law. As a matter of fact, there is need for government to be in the front burner in the respect for the rule of law. Whoever is unhappy, including government with a pronouncement of the court, has the opportunity of still going back to that court, for the court’s decision to be vacated or appeal to a higher court, but not to undertake to ignore it or carrying on as though nothing has happened or that the court’s order is not binding. That is an unacceptable principle in the rule of law.”

The paper in a report published this morning further quoted the NBA President as saying: “An agenda for the respect of rule of law is a must for the government. For specific cases in court, it’s not the business of the Nigerian Bar Association to make comments on them, because we have our members on both side and they can decide to speak on the matter, but on the general principle of rule of law, as an association, it is one area we are passionate about, which we feel is very essential.

“So, both government and citizens must subscribe to the principles of rule of law and doing otherwise is not an option. You cannot pick and choose which court order to obey, if you try to do that, you are clearly undermining the principle of rule of law and the obvious consequence will not help the society in anyway.

“We believe that from our interaction with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, they do not have an option but to obey court orders. You must bear in mind that the courts are there to settle disputes between individuals as well as between government and individuals, so it is important that all parties respect the rule of law and judgments and decision of courts as that is one area we will not compromise.”

Whereas Biafran separatist leader Kanu, who is facing a six-count charge bordering on treason, has been in detention since October 14, 2015, when he was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), former National Security Adviser (NSA) Dasuki, who is facing multiple charges before three different courts, was re-arrested last week at the gate of Kuje Prison, Abuja, shortly after he perfected all his bail conditions.

Responding to a question during the media chat, President Buhari sought to justify the continued incarceration of the two accused persons. He said considering the weight of the allegations against them, they could jump bail if granted any form of freedom.

Buhari’s words: “Technically, if you see the kinds of atrocities these people are believed to have committed against the country, if they are given the opportunity, they will jump bail. And the one you are calling Kanu, do you know he had two passports – one Nigerian, one British – and he came into the country without any? Do you know he brought equipment into this country and was broadcasting Radio Biafra? Which kind of government do you think should harbour that kind of person? There is a treasonable felony suit against him and I hope the court will listen to the case.”

•Photo shows NBA President Augustine Alegeh, SAN.

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