CLEEN Foundation, at a press conference on “Indicators for Measuring Government’s Respect For Rule of Law in Nigeria” held at Lagos Travels Inn, Toyin Street, Ikeja, on Wednesday, said postulations by many Nigerians and civil society groups on the issue remained subjective, thus, did not represent the correct picture.
Rather, it said pessimists have failed to find out what progress has been made in the implementation of the policy.
The NGO recalled that at its inception of the present administration on May 29, 2007, it declared commitment to respect for the rule of law as its cardinal principle.
CLEEN declared that in demonstration of its commitment, the administration pledged to always obey court orders.
However, barely a year after, quite a few Nigerians and organisations had begun to notice how the administration appeared to be exhibiting a lopsided dedication to the rule of law.
Government’s interpretation of the rule of law appeared to favour corrupt politicians, who exploited legal loopholes to escape justice.
Executive Director of CLEEN, Innocent Chukwuma stated that when many Nigerians’ contact with the law and its enforcement agencies led to harassment, extortion, long detention without trial, torture and even extra-judicial killing, the rule of law is absent.
Chukwuma disclosed that his organisation was working in collaboration with a New York, USA-based group, Vera Institute of Justice and other partners in India and Chile, to develop a set of indicators for measuring government’s respect for the rule of law, which are currently being piloted in four countries, namely, India, Chile, Nigeria and United States of America.