The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on politicians to put aside their parochial and selfish interests and ensure that Nigeria remains a united and indissoluble country where peace and justice will perpetually reign.
The NBA President, Paul Usoro (SAN), said this yesterday in his new year message that Nigeria cannot have a country where peace and justice can reign if the Federal Government keeps paying lip service to the Rule of Law.
He said: “In 2019, Rule of Law in Nigeria was persistently assaulted and lay prostrate, thanks mostly to executive misbehaviours and high-handedness.
“2019 marked the year that removal of public officers through nebulous and reprehensible ex parte orders of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) gradually became the norm in our national life.
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“It started with the removal of erstwhile Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, through a purported CCT ex parte order in the first quarter of 2019 and, towards the end of the year, this abnormality was repeated with the removal from office of the Acting Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Lady Azuka Azinge through a questionable ex-parte order.
“Economic growth can only be attained in an atmosphere of predictability and certainty. This new practice of tripping and removing our public officers through contrived CCT ex-parte orders corrodes confidence in the system,” Usoro stated.
The association called on politicians, to turn their attention from politics to governance and development, adding that Nigerians voted in 2019 for improvements in their circumstances, and, in their socio-economic circumstances.
He said: “As Nigerians, our strength lies, amongst others, in our resilience and eternal optimism. No matter our circumstances and no matter the temptation, we must not lose those qualities even as we must persist in holding our governments to account.”
The NBS boss said, “2020 provides us with the opportunity to reposition ourselves for the greater good of our people and our beloved country.”
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