Some lawyers in Lagos have commended President Bola Tinubu over his Democracy Day speech, saying it came at the right time to assuage the myriad of challenges being faced by Nigerians.
The lawyers disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.
They told NAN that the President outlined the true position of the country’s journey to democracy.
Mr Chibuikem Opara, a Senior Counsel, at Justification Chambers, Ikeja, said the speech was well articulated and came at the right time.
Opara, however, urged the president to match words with action.
“The president and his team should find a way to lift the prevalent gloom.
“That’s the only way to ensure that the labours of our heroes past and the heroes of June 12, will not be in vein,” he said.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, former Vice President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), also commended the president for his quick intervention in ending the industrial action by the organised labour.
Ubani was reacting to the portion where President Tinubu indicated that government had agreed on a new minimum wage with labour.
“ Part of the President’s broadcast read;
“In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with the organised labour on a new national minimum wage.
“We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly, to enshrine what has been agreed upon, as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done.
“We chose the path of cooperation over conflict,” he had said.
Ubani noted that with the portion of the speech, the principles of democracy had been thoroughly upheld.
He further applauded the current administration for not “wielding the big stick” on partakers of the recent industrial action, adding that same, exemplied true democractic leadership.
“The aspect of not punishing those who shut down the national grid, is very commendable. It then means that the ethos of democracy is being consciously imbibed by government.
“It is indeed very commendable that government intervened swiftly in addressing the concerns raised by labour and have now reached a consensus without allowing same to linger,” Ubani said.
According to him, in the past, such industrial actions will have lingered without quick resolve, adding that same is not the case today, with the current administration.
“The swiftness with which the issues were resolved by this government, is highly commendable.
“If President Tinubu continues with the good steps he is currently taking to reform the economic and other aspects of social life, we will certainly get there.
“My happiness is that we have been able to celebrate 25 years of uninterrupted democracy and we are growing from strength to strength.
“We will get there,” he said.
Mr Chris Ayiyi, the Principal Partner, Ayiyi Chambers, however, expressed mixed feelings on the freedom of the press, over the years.
According to him, freedom of the press should be the priority of this government.
“I know the present administration inherited insecurity, however, they should try more to minimise kidnapping in the country.
“It is important that the economic reforms of this government are channelled toward empowering the youth, so the young ones will stop leaving the shores of the country,” he stated.
Mr Ademola Owolabi, also a Lagos-based lawyer, congratulated all Nigerians for the 25 years of unbroken democracy.
Owolabi said that democracy must not become an end, rather, must be a means to good and progressive governance.
He suggested that Nigeria should reduce its states from the current 36 to 18, adding that the local governments should be completely handed over to the states.
Owolabi added that the Senate should be scrapped.
The legal practitioner said that the citizens should make sacrifices in the interest of the country.
Mr Julius Ayoola, in his own opinion, said that the present government was on the right path.
He, however, urged the government to cut down on its spending.
“Nigeria is not doing so badly, but there are key areas we need to improve on, like the judiciary,” Ayoola said. (NAN)
