By Ebere Agozie and Wandoo Sombo

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), Mr Mohammed Ndarani, has urged the Federal Government to settle Nnamdi Kanu and other agitators’ matters through a national committee of arbitration.

Ndarani, a Grand Patron of One Nation for Asiwaju Support Group, who made the call at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, said this would lead to peace and unity in the country.

“In my opinion, court may not be the solution of the above matter, if peace must reign in the nation.

“President Bola Tinubu should consider Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms like arbitration, conciliation and mediation in some of these cases concerning these agitators,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ADR refers to any method of conflict resolution that takes place outside of the courtroom.

It involves processes and techniques of conflict resolution without litigation and empowers parties to work together using a framework to amicably settle complex issues.

The senior lawyer said that the political atmosphere in the country was tense with tribal and religious issues being championed everyday by some people who feel marginalised and aggrieved.

“In present times, early resolution of a dispute not only saves valuable time and money of the parties in the dispute but also promotes peace and unity.

“Section 17 of the Federal High Court Act and Section 174 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), provides that parties can explore alternative options for both civil and criminal matters.

“Like the treason matter involving Omoyele Sowore, leader of Revolution Now Movement and a presidential candidate in the 2023 election, and also the terrorism case against Bello Badejo, leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, both cases which were withdrawn, Nigerian government is commended.

“Therefore, there is the need to seek for further peace and unity of the nation.

“High profile cases like Kanu’s are best resolved as quickly as possible because they evoke a lot of sentiments.

“Another reason for an expeditious resolution of the matter is because it will begin to heal festering wounds which we can certainly do without at this stage of our nationhood,” the senior lawyer said.

According to him, justice delayed is invariably justice denied.

“Talking about litigation generally in our courts, it is clear that some matters drag on interminably, and this has a knock-on effect on the willingness of our people to seek justice in our law courts.”

Ndarani said that arbitration could equally help to decongest the courts which were currently bogged down by a lot more matters than they could expeditiously dispose of.

“Indispensable as the role of courts is in the society, the process is usually long drawn out and hence, the need to explore more frequently, the option of alternative dispute resolution.

“The sooner we find alternative means of quickly disposing of these worrisome matters, the better for the promotion of peace and harmony in our country.

“I will advise the president to look inwards to see how to settle most of these pockets of agitations that have given rise to loss of lives and property.

“Arbitration can bring rest to the east, peace and rest to the wanton killings in the middle belt as well as other parts of the country,” he said.

Ndarani urged Nigerians to be patient with the president because he met an unjust society, and it is not easy to re-arrange a system that had collapsed before his administration took over.

“Nigeria’s problem is the few elites who put their interest on the first line charge.

“I advise the president to avoid them and explore all the mechanism to settle for peace of Nigeria rather than seeking for prosecution.

“If Nigeria is peaceful, Tinubu will do well for the nation.”

He urged Tinubu to watch out for little foxes that spoil the vine while trying to hold Nigeria together as one indivisible nation.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz