`Charge and bail’ staining Nigeria’s legal practice – lawyers cry out

Worried by dwindling ethical conduct in the legal profession,
some lawyers have called for sanctions against those who `chase
briefs’ in the guise of rendering legal assistance.

The lawyers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the
integrity of the legal profession would be best preserved, if
penalties could be imposed on those breaching ethical
standards.

They stressed the need for continuous and diligent observance of
the rules of professional conduct for lawyers.

NAN reports that “chasing of briefs” is a practice where lawyers
beg for legal representation of clients for a fee; it is also
described as “ambulance chasing” or “charge and bail”.

Some lawyers on Tuesday condemned the practice and spoke on the
required ethics for lawyers.

A constitutional lawyer, Mr Samuel Esoga said: “I do not
encourage ambulance chasing by legal practitioners.

“The emphasis should be on professionalism which, most of the
time, is lacking in service delivery by lawyers or law firms.

“Once professionalism is embraced, the problem is half
solved.”

According to Esoga, poor remuneration of lawyers contributes to
unethical practice.

“Very low remuneration makes some lawyers to adopt this
ingenious and unprofessional way of making money,” he said.

He, therefore, called for improved remuneration for lawyers as a
strategy to eliminate `charge and bail’.

A commercial law expert, Mr Godwin Adelemoni, expressed sadness
that `charge and bail’ had characterised much of legal practice in
Nigeria.

“It is generally frowned at, but not enough is done to curb it;
it is unethical and unprofessional particularly bearing in mind the
way many of these lawyers jostle for clients in open court.

“Many have been seen to engage in verbal confrontations in the
process; to curb this disgraceful act, the NBA must take the first
step by working to sanitise the profession.

“As a result of the activities of these lawyers, many in the
public now see the legal profession through the prism of
unprofessional acts.

“In my opinion, it is for the NBA, being the professional body,
to take the first step of weeding out the bad act,” he said.

A rights activist, Chief Malcolm Onirhobo, told NAN that
`ambulance chasing’ or `charge and bail’ lawyers ran fowl of the
provisions of the rules of professional conduct.

“It is degrading, dehumanising and disgraceful for a legal
practitioner to engage in such a practice; the argument that young
lawyers are facing economic hardship which makes them to engage in
such a practice for survival seems to be weighty in a country like
Nigeria.

“In view of this argument, it is imperative for the NBA and
other statutory bodies to intervene and alleviate the plights of
these young lawyers through establishment of a regime of adequate
pay for lawyers,” he said.

According to Omirhobo, lawyers should consider partnerships also
as a strategy to address the situation. (NAN)

Kano PDP Candidate Urges Voter to Prepare for Re-Run
Election

Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf of People’s Democratic Party has assured
his teaming supporters of emerging victorious in the forthcoming
Gubernatorial bye election in Kano declared by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The election was declared inconclusive due massive rigging
ochestrated by the ruling All Progressive Congress that resulted in
over voting and eventual cancellation of many polling units.

Kano people has seen glaringly, how the enemies of democracy who
are high ranking officials of the state Government including
serving deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna, Commissioner Murtala Garo
and Nassaraw Local Government Chairman Lamin Sani Kawaji vandalized
an election collation centre with a sole aim of truncating the
declaration process to deny PDP’s victory.

We have been reliably gathered that over five hundred ballot
papers were printed by Kano State Printing Press and syndicated to
various polling units across the state, part of which over ten
cartons of them were confiscated by the police.

It is our prayer that all election offenders would be charged to
courts at the earliest best time to serve as a deterrence for all
anti democracy.

We call on all supporters to remain calm, we are known to be
peace lovers and so we shall remain, as we are very sure of victory
during the rerun.

Our supporters should not forget that PDP is already leading in
the last count of the election and interestingly, the bye election
would take place in the strongest areas of our party.

We urge everyone to keep hope alive on our guest to rescue Kano
from the hands of corrupt leaders and agents of distraction.

People in the affected areas should come out en mass to cast
their votes in favour of PDP, We will Insha Allah emerge victorious
after the rerun to restore the lost glory of Kano.

Signed
Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa the Spokesperson to PDP Gubernatorial
Candidate for Kano State 2019 Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf