The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is set to re-introduce the NBA Black Book for documenting erring and recalcitrant members.
The decision was to mete out sanction on members in government who use their position to work against the Bar, the 1999 Constitution, and the rule of law.
This was contained in the communique signed by the NBA President, Olumide Akpata and General Secretary, Joyce Oduah after the association’s first National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held last month in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The NEC condemned ”the increasingly worrisome trend and attempts from different quarters, including by legal practitioners, to whittle down the influence of the NBA in the society and further observes with dismay the actions of some of legal practitioners who, when appointed into political offices, truncate the express provisions of the 1999 Constitution and violate the rule of law”.
It, therefore, resolved to promote accountability by ensuring that “all members of the NBA who have been nominated to, recommended for, or appointed into boards, councils, and statutory bodies by the NBA or by virtue of their membership of the NBA should provide periodic updates and feedback to the President and NEC on their activities at such bodies and ensure that their position on issues align with those of the NBA and in the best interest of the profession and the society”.
The NBA NEC opposed the ongoing attempt to increase the retirement age of Justices of the Supreme Court and mandated its Judiciary Committee, under the leadership of Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) to come up with a paper and engage with the relevant authorities.
NBA leadership noted with sadness the issue of harassment of lawyers by security agencies in the course of carrying out their duties has not abated.
It commended Akpata for liaising with the branch chairpersons and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) towards bringing perpetrators to book in a handful of instances and in ensuring that adequate compensation is paid to the victims.
It also decried reports of sexual harassment at the workplace and pledged to go the extra mile to ensure that this ugly trend ceases and curtailed to the barest minimum.
It, therefore, directed the President to take more concrete steps in this respect, including through the promulgation of an Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy for the Legal Profession in Nigeria.
The NEC of the NBA decried the screening for the nomination and recommendation of judicial officers across the country.
It advocated merit-driven appointment of more judicial officers to ensure competence and effective administration of justice.
It therefore, advocated more expansive court buildings and improved facilities for court users both at the federal and state levels; continuous implementation of the COVID-19 guidelines at the courts, including the use of virtual hearings and technology across jurisdictions; and proper case management by judges to ensure that counsels and their clients do not spend inordinate amount of time in court especially in situations where the inadequacies can be addressed upfront.
It decried the situation in Gombe State where the issue of the appointment of Justice Beatrice Lazarus Iliya as substantive Chief Judge remains unresolved and noted with displeasure the failure of the Gombe State Governor to comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
It, therefore, declared the renewal of Justice Muazu Pindiga’s tenure as the acting Chief Judge of Gombe State for the fifth time on March 4, 2021, as a total breach of section 271(5) of the 1999 Constitution and directed the President to strongly convey the position of the NBA to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the NJC on this point.
The NBA commended the final resolution of the constitutional crisis in Cross River State through the appointment, confirmation and swearing in of Justice Akon Ikpeme as the substantive Chief Judge of the state.
It directed that more efforts should be made towards ensuring that the issue of the non-payment of the salaries of some Magistrates in Cross River State for almost two years is resolved.
It, therefore, approved the plans of the NBA Public Interest Litigation Committee to commence action in courts should negotiation with Cross River State Government in this respect fail or be unduly prolonged
