Civil Society Organization Congratulates Nigerians on 65th Independence Anniversary

…Condemns Peter Obi’s Politicization of Lagos State Enforcement of Building Law

A civil society organization, the Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) has felicitated with the government and people of Nigeria on it’s 65th Independence anniversary celebration today October 1st 2025.

In a press statement issued by the organization executive director Nelson Ekujumi, the group congratulated Nigerians on the momentous occasion of 65 years of nationhood which is a testament to the resilience, perseverance, sacrifice and abiding faith in the sanctity of the unity of the country.

According to the release, “To assert that Nigeria has weathered many storms in it’s journey of nationhood is not in doubt, because United we stand, divided we fall”. The group saluted Nigerians for their patience and perseverance in the face of the economic challenges brought about by the economic re-engineering of the Nigerian state by the President Bola Tinubu administration, which it noted are necessary, inevitable and indispensable for a better tomorrow.

The group admonished Nigerians “To continue to keep faith with democracy and the diversity of the country which is our greatest strength and not allow themselves to be exploited by agents of destabilization and anti democratic elements for reasons other than collective good”.

The group noted the economic turnaround of the economy occasioned by the bold termination of the fraudulent fuel and forex subsidy regimes by the President Bola Tinubu administration which has stopped the hemorrhaging of the economy and freed up more resources for the three tiers of government to dispense the dividends of democracy among several other policies which have impacted positively on the people.

The Centre for Social and Economic Rights expressed its strong optimism and belief in the capacity and capability of the President Bola Tinubu administration to pilot the affairs of the country in line with the vision of Nigeria’s founding fathers to place her on a sound economic and socio political footing in order to take her rightful position in the comity of nations.

The group congratulated Nigerians and wished her well as “We march forward in our democratic journey and nationhood to the glory of God and benefit of humanity.

The Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) also used the occasion of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary celebration to lambast the 2023 labour party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi for his reckless, irresponsible, crude, lawless, condemnable and provocative politicization of the Lagos State government enforcement of building laws in the state.

According to the group, Mr. Peter Obi has once again demonstrated by his utterances while on a visit with some other persons to the demolished illegal structures at the trade fair complex on the Lagos Badagry expressway, that he is a man at war with a society built and sustained by law and order.

The group noted that the Lagos State government, just like any other government in any part of the world has a responsibility to uphold law and order in order to protect life and property which is it’s primary responsibility. It said, “We were shocked and dumbfounded by Mr Peter Obi description of a state government enforcement of the laws in line with it’s statutory function as “A test of impunity, justice and compassion” which is regrettable.

The group then went on to remind Peter Obi and his co travellers to whom everything including violations of the law should be politicized and trivialized, that the powers of the Lagos State government to regulate building developments is derived under the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act 1992 as domesticated by the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Regulations and was further reinforced by the Supreme Court judgement of 2003 (Attorney General of Lagos State vs Attorney General of the Federation) that land use and physical planning falls under concurrent jurisdiction and states retain the authority to regulate development control within their territories including federal lands.

The group stated that, “in view of the above quoted aspects of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of which Lagos is a part, we are at a loss to rationalize how someone of Mr Peter Obi calibre, a former Governor of a state in Nigeria can descend to dancing naked in the market place all because of politics which is condemnable in it’s entirety”.

The Centre for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) then called on well meaning Nigerians, democrats and adherents of societies built on the principle of law and order, to caution and counsel Mr Peter Obi to retrace his established shameless, provocative, irresponsible and condemnable incitement against the statutory enforcement of laws by state institutions which is germane to law, order, peace, and prosperity.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely,

Nelson Ekujumi