Femi Falana, SAN has asked the President Muhammdau Buhari lead federal government to halt the allocation crude oil blocks to individuals and foreign corporate bodies. This came as he warned that if the government refused to accede to his request he will challenge the constitutional validity of allocating the oil blocks and other natural resources collectively owned by the Nigerian people but vested in the Federal Government to a few private individuals and corporate bodies.
Falana and Buhari Falana in latter titled ‘Request To Stop Allocating Oil Blocks To Private Individuals And Corporate Bodies’ on Sunday said: ‘by allocating oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies the Federal Government has violated Section 16(2)(c) of the Constitution which provides that “the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.”
Falana also lamented that: ‘the allocation of oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies by the Federal Government constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to freedom from discrimination, equal right of access to public property and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind as well as the right to social, economic and cultural development guaranteed by articles 2, 13, 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. Therefore, pursuant to article 22 thereof which has imposed a duty on the Federal Government to freely dispose of the wealth and national resources of the nation in the exclusive interests of the Nigerian people we urge Your Excellency to desist from allocating oil and blocks to a select group of Nigerians and foreigners. Vanguard
Pix: Nigeria’sPresident Muhammadu Buhari
