Death: Adieu, The Great Arthur Nwankwo – Femi Aborisade Mourns, Extols His Virtues

Death: Adieu, The Great Arthur Nwankwo – Femi Aborisade Mourns, Extols His Virtues.

A renown human rights lawyer and labour activist, Dr Femi Aborisade has mourned late Dr Arthur Nwankwo and lauded his sacrifices towards the liberation of common people on the street.

“Adieu, The Great Dr. Arthur Nwankwo.

One of the generals in the Army of ordinary people in their struggles for emancipation (Dr. ARTHUR NWANKWO) will be interred today, according to a post by my friend, Owei Lakemfa, the former Secretary General of OATUU – Organisation of African Trade Union Unity”, Aborisade stated.

“Apart from his commitment to the struggles of the masses for economic and political exclusion, Arthur Nwankwo was also very generous. He demonstrated this attribute on an occasion in which he insisted feasting Chief Gani Fawehinmi and his entourage on the occasion of a visit of Chief Fawehinmi to Calabar.

“I had another opportunity to interact regularly with the Great Arthur Nwankwo when he contacted me to seek redress for his political party, the Peoples Mandate Party (PMP) that was deregistered. We used the same authorities by which deregistration of PRP and other parties by INEC was set aside on the ground of unconstitutionality. Unfortunately, given the unpredictability in our judicial system, the Court upheld the Notice of Preliminary Objection of INEC that the suit was statute barred, having been brought after three months. For sure, the same objection was raised by INEC in the case involving PRP and other parties and the Federal High Court, relying on the judicial authorities of the apex Court, dismissed the preliminary objection on the principle that the right to fair hearing, being a right donated by the Constitution cannot be taken away by any other legislation. The same authorities along this line were cited in the case of PMP but the Court chose to act contrary to the hallowed doctrine of ‘stare decisis’, which enjoins that principles established by appellate courts must be followed in determining similar cases where the facts are on all fours. The Great Arthur Nwankwo expressed his deep dissapointment in the unpredictable judicial system, which had saved the party of his friend, Balarabe Musa’s PRP, from deregistration. I know the Great Arthur Nwankwo retained his confidence in the ultimate victory of the masses over the forces of darkness and retrogression. The Great Dr. Arthur NWANKWO, we shall never forget you!”, Aborisade said.