Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has called upon President Bola Tinubu to avoid sending misleading signals by allowing high-profile politicians with ongoing corruption cases to visit the Presidential Villa.
During Aare Afe Babalola’s 60th anniversary at the Bar, Falana expressed his concern, stating, “Some individuals currently under trial for looting the nation’s treasury are frequently seen entering and exiting the Villa. We must not convey the wrong message to our people and the international community,” as reported by Channels TV.
Falana appealed to the president and his government to exhibit leadership, emphasizing the current challenges faced by the nation. The event was attended by various dignitaries, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku.
Falana stressed the need to return to an era where individuals accused of corruption and with pending cases before agencies such as the EFCC or ICPC were not appointed to positions of authority. He cited First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s statement at the 2023 Presidential Inauguration Interdenominational Church Service in May, urging the president to lead an anti-corruption crusade.
With the president taking a strong stance against corruption, Falana argued that Nigeria, as the largest concentration of black people on earth, could reclaim its rightful place among the comity of nations. He expressed his dismay at the alarming level of corruption in the country, which he described as having reached a perilous state.
Falana highlighted instances where public officials misappropriated funds intended for essential purposes like building hospitals while people suffered on poorly maintained roads. He stated that corruption at such a scale had evolved into a crime against humanity.
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