Ubani Faults Extended Movement Ban Ahead Of FCT Council Polls

Ubani Faults Extended Movement Ban Ahead Of FCT Council Polls
He urged authorities to review duration of restriction.
SAN linked shutdown to Nigeria’s evolving democratic maturity.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Monday Ubani, has criticised the extended restriction of movement imposed ahead of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, describing the directive as excessive.

Ubani spoke on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, reacting to the movement ban scheduled to run from Friday night until Saturday evening.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that he said the duration of the restriction appeared disproportionate, although he acknowledged that security agencies might be acting on intelligence not available to the public.

“Let them take a hard look again at this particular directive. They should take a look at it. I mean, from 8 pm tonight till the following day. Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to me. But they may have a reason, I don’t know, because they see more than we,” he said.

Ubani noted that conflicting directives from authorities could create confusion but maintained that citizens are more likely to comply with the police as the primary enforcers.

“The police’s own is different, though. I think we obey the police, though. So when there is conflict, who supersedes? They are the enforcers, so we obey the enforcers,” he added.

The senior lawyer linked the imposition of sweeping movement restrictions to what he described as Nigeria’s evolving democratic culture. He argued that elections in more developed democracies do not require shutting down economic activities.

“It all speaks of our political maturity. Maybe we are not yet mature. Because if you watch developed economies when they are conducting their own election, people will just go to the office, cast their vote, and go back to work.

“It absolutely shows some level of immaturity for us to shut down the entire economy because we want to elect leaders,” he stated.

Ubani Faults Extended Movement Ban Ahead Of FCT Council Polls — Movement Ban Of FCT Council Polls

Ubani stressed that both political actors and citizens must commit to peaceful conduct during elections. He warned that desperation for power often fuels tension and instability, urging stakeholders to prioritise democratic values over partisan interests.