An Abuja based non-governmental organisation, the Society for Rule of Law
in Nigeria
(SRLN) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to commence the process of
extraditing controversial businessman as well as chieftain of the Peoples
Democratic
Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr Buruji Kasamu to the United States (U.S.) to
face
trial in respect of an alleged drug-related offences.
The group hailed the Appeal Court for standing firm on its decision to
vacate an
order of perpetual injunction given by Justice Okechukwu Okeke (rtd.) of
the Federal
High Court, restraining the Attorney-General of the Federation from
entertaining or
making any order whatsoever in respect of any request by the United States
(U.S.)
Government for the extraditing of Mr Kasamu to the US to answer charges on
alleged
drug-related offences.
It said; “President Jonathan should further demonstrate his respect for
the rule of
law by giving effect to the Appeal Court judgment delivered by Justice
Abdu Aboki
yesterday.”
SRLN stated in a release issued in Abuja today, by its National
Coordinator, Comrade
Chima Ubeku that President Jonathan should be worried that a fugitive like
Buruji
Kasamu is being accorded recognition by the PDP.
“With the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Lagos yesterday, all
impediments on Buruji Kasamu’s extradition to the US has been removed.
“The President should therefore do the needful by ordering his (Kasamu)
extradition
to the US as allegedly requested by the US government.
“Failure to do this will mean that Kasamu is being shielded from being
tried in the
US because he has been using proceeds of his alleged drug business to fund
the PDP
and this will be a great minus to the party and the federal government.
“This is moreso that all the newspapers that reported the Court of Appeal,
Lagos
Division judgment of yesterday used headlines like; ‘Court Dismisses PDP
Chieftains
Application Against Extradition,’ and this happened because even the National
Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP recently acceded to Buruji Kasamu’s
request to
single-handedly fund the South-West Zonal Congress.
“It has therefore become a moral burden on the president as well as his
party, and
it is high time the presidency makes its position known on the matter,’ Ubeku
stated.