The outgoing President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, has called on lawyers in the country to be vigilant of all moves by some persons to bend the rule of law in the nation for selfish interests.
He made the call in Warri, Delta State, on Tuesday while addressing participants at a workshop on “Implementation Assessment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law; Delta State: Examining Successes and Challenges,” organised by the NBA in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation.
Participants at the event comprised legal practitioners, top police officers and journalists drawn from various states in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
Akpata noted that the NBA “is very dear” to legal practitioners in the country, hence, his call on members to watch out for what he tagged “the conspiracy to dim the power of the NBA.”
He said, “The NBA is one of the foremost professional organisations in Nigeria and I think we must be careful. We must protect what we have achieved. This organisation not only superintend over the affairs of lawyers, but has interjected into the affairs of the nation.
“As lawyers, we have the mandate of the people to defend them, enforce the rule of law, to speak for them and to ensure that this country is run on the basis of our Constitution and not on the whimps and caprices of anybody. Not many people are happy that the association is strong and vibrant.
“I am about to leave the stage as President and I am just charging my colleagues to be vigilant that not many are happy about the nature and strength of our Association. So, I think we must protect that which is ours.”
Speaking specifically on the administration of criminal justice law in the country, the NBA President emphasised the need for more synergy among the stakeholders just as he called on the authorities to focus searchlight on the existing infrastructure deficit in the Judiciary, the police and correctional centres.
Other speakers at the workshop included Hon. Justice Anthony Akpovi of Warri Criminal Division of the state judiciary; a former Deputy Director, Legal and Investigation, National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Saka Azimazi; a renowned security expert, Mr. Idris Bawa. as well as a former Attorney-General in the state, Chief Victor Otomiewo.
