Nyesom Wike, minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has criticised Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for opposing Rivers emergency rule.
Wike spoke on the matter when officials of the Body of Benchers, led by Chairman Adegboyega Awomolo visited him in Abuja.
The minister criticised MBA’s stance, alleging that its objection was driven by financial interests, alleging that its objection was not based on principle but on concerns over funding.
He said, “The NBA is against the state of emergency because there would be no money to give them for their conference. What kind of hypocrisy is this?”
Wike also accused NBA and other lawyers of criticising supreme court rulings without reading the judgements and urged Body of Benchers to take disciplinary measures against those involved.
He said, “Some NBA members go on national television to condemn judgments without even reading them! If you don’t discipline somebody, nobody will learn any lesson.”
“We shall no longer allow our profession to be pulled down. I cannot believe, as a lawyer, that you make a contribution to help the legal profession and you will be criticised by your fellow lawyers.”
“Sir, the time has come that we need to say look, enough is enough. We cannot continue to discourage our judges and justices. It is not done anywhere.”
“I have never seen where members of a profession are the ones bent on bringing the profession down.”
Wike further accused NBA of hypocrisy, saying the association had accepted financial support from the executive in the past, but now says such assistance to the judiciary is bribery.
He added, “I was the only one who contributed to the NBA to build the national secretariat. The NBA didn’t see it as a bribe.”
“When you contribute to the Body of Benchers, it is a bribe, but when you contribute to the NBA, it is not a bribe—they will take it!”
“The same NBA will rely on state governments to sponsor their activities, but when the state government supports the judiciary, it is bribery.”
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