War Against Nigeria’s Judiciary Unwarranted and Reckless, Senior Lawyers Caution

Some senior lawyers in the country have condemned the increasing attacks on the judiciary, describing such as unwarranted and reckless.

The senior lawyers, who decried the development, warned that if the attacks were not checked, they could plunge the country into chaos.

This, they reckoned, owed largely to the critical role the judiciary plays in the maintenance of law and order, as well as creating a stable and peaceful environment for peace, development and progress.

While cautioning against sweeping allegations of fraud and corruption against judges and the judiciary over certain controversial decisions entered by a few judges in some political cases, the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), warned those involved to desist immediately in the interest of the country and its citizens.

The senior lawyers, who gave the admonition to fellow lawyers and politicians at the weekend, included Chief Mike Ahamba, Professor Awa Kalu, Kunle Adegoke, and Dr Olukayode Ajulo.

They said, “Yes, we have a few elements in the judiciary that are bad. We cannot shy away from that. It is, however, easier to notice the negative side of any person or any system.

“The positive aspect hardly registers sufficiently to the good measure of appreciation by the populace. And when in a system, a few bad elements commit some atrocities, the tendency is for the people to register a negative perception against such a system.

“In the judiciary, today, I still believe as a practitioner that we have majority of judges that are quite upright presiding over cases,” Adegoke said.

Kalu, only his part, said, “The lawyers who are making frantic efforts to denigrate the judiciary forget the African proverb: there is nobody who will say his mother’s soup is not sweet.

“You cannot wake up and say, oh, my mother’s soup is not sweet. If your mother’s soup is not sweet, which one is sweeter. I will advise such lawyers to be very careful before you say your mother’s soup is not sweet.”

Ajulo, who agreed with his colleagues, also said, “I don’t think we need to deceive ourselves. Criticism of the judiciary, low perception of the judiciary is universal. That is one.

“However, in Nigeria, it is only rife during election. You will notice that by February, only a few of such cases will happen. And the reason for this is not far-fetched. The lawyer handling such controversial matter will never come to tell his client that, look, I am the one that made a mistake.

“Again, I will still insist that the case of Maina vs Lawal shows how people perceive issues. In that case, what is in the record of the court is different from what is in the public space. Nigerians were simply misled in that case,” he said.

Former NBA leader, Ahamba, said, “Most of the discussions on the pages of newspapers are facts free and law free. I know that some funny things have happened. But I still maintain that most of those who are discussing the judiciary don’t even know what the law is.

“There is an adage that says one finger can pick oil and spoil the rest of the fingers. I don’t think it is right for them to destroy the judiciary,” adding that, “even where one feels strongly that justice has not been done in a case, the concerned lawyer should not tarnish the image of the judiciary.

“I have been a victim as a lawyer. And my attitude is to write a book on it, exposing all the wrongs that were done against my client. Not to say the judiciary is no longer good.

“After all, I did a presidential election petition where we scored 4-3. Even though four did not agree with us, were the three other justices not members of the judiciary?

“In another, we scored 4-1. I again ask that even though four justices went against us, is the fifth judge who dissented not part of the judiciary?

“So, what should happen is that the academics should take time to look at some of these judgments and point out the faults in them. This is it,” he advised.

Alex Enumah in Abuja

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