See What Rivers State Integraty Group Told Layers As They Gathered For Conference In Portharcourt.

On behalf of The Integrity Group and other well-meaning civil Society organizations in Nigeria and Rivers state in particular, I wish to specially welcome lawyers from all over Nigeria to Port Harcourt for the 56thNBA national Convention. Your choice of Rivers state which today is in the eye of the storm is both strategic and well thought out in view of the current socioeconomic/political situation of Rivers state in today’s Nigeria. This Conference affords the Bar the greatest opportunity to reawaken itself as well as challenge lawyers in Nigeria over what is viewed as a perceived silence as it particularly touches on the new trend of conflicting judgments delightedly churned out by certain Judges and Justices without sanction.

The case of Rivers state is no longer news. There have been recent cases where certain judges now exercise appellate powers seating in Appellate capacities over courts of coordinate jurisdictions to review as well as reverse decisions of sister courts turning blind eyes to the overall consequences on the administration of justice and the integrity of both the Bar and the Bench, thus causing the justice system to stand on its head. Rivers state and Abia States have been most recent victims of these actions yet NBA has remained silent in a way that may imply conspiracy except proven to the contrary.

The greatest threat today to the said democracy in Nigeria is INEC which has reduced itself pitiably to an appendage of a section of the ruling class and this is no longer news. Currently the electoral empire is going ahead through one Amina Zakari (The National Commissioner in charge of operations) to announce cooked up results in defiance to a subsisting court order restraining the Commission from announcing any result for Tai L.G.A in Rivers state where election was never conducted.

 These manipulations may mount overwhelming pressures on the Security Agencies who have become willing tools to hunt and hound down perceived political opponents and branded state enemies including lawyers and judges. The question then is whether the security of life and property is now less important compared to the political interest of a handful of desperate politicians whom the Bar may allow to destroy the temple of justice?

 Whether National Security is no longer considered first as to ensure peace to reign particularly with the harassments going on against the people of Rivers state and other states on same page? Therefore the NBA Must rise now to save Rivers State from an impending disaster as masterminded by INEC through Amina Zakari who allegedly boasted in a meeting in Abuja that she knows how to subvert the will of the people and handle the judiciary to get what she wants.

It is important to stress that if the Bar does not take proactive steps NOW consistent in salvaging the judiciary, Lawyers will struggle to pride themselves in their noble capacity and nobody will take them seriously. The Bar must be reminded that it must go back to its pivotal and “activistic” roles in ensuring justice and helping to stabilize the Nigeria’s so-called nascent democracy.

My final charge is that the NBA must NOT make the mistake of ending this national Conference in Port
Harcourt without taking a definite position on these issues raised herein amongst others.
Welcome to Rivers state.

Sign:
Livingstone Wechie
Executive Director,
The Integrity Group