Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, has called on government agencies to abide by the rule of law and refrain from disobeying orders and judgments of court.
Reacting to the continued detention of the Presidential Candidate of African Action Congress, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, by the Department of State Service, DSS, despite court orders, Ojukwu said no individual or institution should be allowed to toy with the judgment and decisions of the court.
He emphasized that “all court orders are binding and must be respected by affected persons or institutions”.
According to him, the decent way to disagree with a court order is to appeal against same.
Ojukwu, who frowned on the continued detention of Sowore, noted that disobedience of court order was an invitation to uncertainty in the law.
He called for the immediate release of Sowore in line with the order and in accordance with his bail conditions, if they had been met by his lawyers.
He said the rights of citizens must be protected and jealously guarded against any form of impunity, stressing that it was an inherent obligation on the part of government agencies to guarantee these rights and further build citizens’ confidence.
Ojukwu further stated that there was urgent need for all the arms of government to work together because their functions were mutually reinforcing.
He said failure of one arm to adequately carry out its statutory duties as laid down by the Constitution, would impact negatively on the functioning of the government as a whole.
“The rule of law must be observed by all government institutions at all levels of governance. The strength of government is in its institutions and every efforts should be made to strengthen and not to undermine government institutions, to engender good governance and promote the rule of law and protect the rights of people, the NHRC boss said.
He noted that any party that was not satisfied with the ruling of the court had the right of appeal, instead of resorting to self-help.
”Any disobedience of court order is an affront on democracy and rule of law which should not be condoned in any civilised society,” he added.
