The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, has condemned the misuse of appellate processes filed by lawyers to meet the number of cases required for them to apply for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The NBA boss, who spoke at annual Justices’ conference of the Court of Appeal held on Monday in Abuja, said the practice undermines the essence of justice and contributes to the large number of appeals being filed in the appellate courts which clogs the Courts’ dockets and ultimately cause delays which lead to public disillusionment with the legal system.
He urged the courts to adopt measures such as awarding costs against persons who file these cases as a way of deterring others from following that path.
“The NBA will engage with the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee to emphasize the need for quality over quantity in evaluating candidates for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. We must work together to ensure that the sanctity of judicial processes is upheld, and frivolity is discouraged at all levels”, he said.
For the Judiciary to play its role in ensuring effective justice delivery, he said, it must be independent and free from any form of interference or influence in terms of funding, political manipulation, and appointment.
The NBA President said, public confidence in the judge and the judicial system reinforces conviction for the attainment of justice and enhances the willingness of the populace to subjugate before the law.
Osigwe therefore, called on the Bar and the Bench to show mutual respect so as not to jeopardize the administration of justice in the country, adding that, the country needs an efficient judiciary manned by judges who conduct proceedings with fairness and integrity in all their dealings; both judicially and efficiently.
According to the NBA boss, the integrity of the judge and the judiciary is a sacred public trust that must be protected and upheld by all, especially members of the legal profession.
Earlier in his keynote address, a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN said, the National Judicial Council (NJC) should not only function as a disciplinary body for judges but should also be a body to defend the judges from frivolous petitions by litigants.
He said, there must be a machinery to dismiss frivolous petitions against Judges before they (petitions) see the light of the day and called on the NJC to speak out for the judges.
Agabi said, “This is because, even if a petition against a judge is dismissed, the judge stand scandalized and distressed”.
While praising judicial officers for their sacrifices in the course of carrying out their judicial duties, Agabi said, there is nothing the judiciary can do if the government fails to give equal opportunity to the people.
Also speaking, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike said, effective administration of justice requires the collaboration of all stakeholders, including the Executive arm of the government.
He said, his administration is open to working with the judiciary in ensuring effective administration of justice and the rule of law.
The chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB), Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN in his remarks told Judges not to be unduly perturbed by the unjustified, unverified, and contentious data of corruption issued on the Nigerian Judiciary by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), saying, “It is unworthy of attention”.
Awomolo said he can attest to the fact that Nigerian judiciary has some of the finest characters and best legal brains on whom no price tag can be attached, adding, “Our judges and justices are the greatest assets of our nation. We must continue to accord them the highest honour, respect, and dignity”.
He said, the image of the judiciary is too important to a democratic society to allow it to be tarnished in any way by any act of impropriety by any members of the Bar or Bencher and urged Judges/ Justices to be bold, courageous, and focused.
The BoB chairman said, there must be a recommitment to the best values of the judiciary as an independent arm of government, where judgments will deliver justice irrespective of whosoever is concerned, where no one will be oppressed, and where freedom and liberties of citizens are secured and protected.
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