Judicial Autonomy: NBA Branches Visit Governors In Benue, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Oyo

*As NBA Ikeja marches for judicial autonomy
*NBA Visits Oyo Govt Over Judiciary Autonomy, Vows To Pay Weekly
Visit Until They Get Governor’s Attention
*Benue Governor pledges support for judicial autonomy
*As Wike Threatens To Withdraw Support For Autonomy If JUSUN Fails
Call Of The Strike
*Security Agents Deny Protesting Lawyers Entrance Into Edo Govt
Office
*All Grey Areas For Full Implementation Is On Course–
Delta

The Nigerian Bar Association Branches across the country
Thursday visited the governors of their respective states as a
solidarity for the ongoing strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of
Nigeria, JUSUN.

Recall that JUSUN, on April 6 embarked on an industrial action,
shutting down courts across the nation, demanding judicial
independence following which the national president of NBA, Olumide
Akpata, directed that all NBA Branches should meet the governors of
their respective states.

NBA Ikeja Branch was seen on Monday with placards lawyers led by
the Chairman, Bartholomew Aguebodo, who took off from Ikeja Bar
Centre and marched through Oba Akinjobi, into Obafemi Awolowo Way
towards Alausa secretariat.

Meanwhile, our correspondent learned that four of the NBA
Branches in the state, namely Lagos, Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry have
agreed to pay a “visit” to the Governors’ office on Tuesday in line
with the directive from the NBA President, Olumide Akpata.

The Oyo NBA comprising of the Ibadan, Oyo, Saki, and Ogbomoso
branch chairmen, the executives, and senior members of the bar
converged on the secretariat with a jointly written demand to
request that the state government should ensure full compliance
with existing legislative instruments and court judgments on the
financial autonomy of the Judiciary. The lawyers visited the
Ministry of Justice where they were told the Attorney General and
Commissioner of Justice was not around and they dropped a copy of
their letter, the same was done at the House of Assembly and the
High Court Complex at Ring Road.

On the other hand, the NBA Benue Branch recorded success in
their visit to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who said his
administration is in full support of autonomy for Judiciary and
Legislative Arms of Government. He stated that autonomy for the two
arms of government is allowed under the constitution and as someone
who has respect for the Rule of Law, he would prefer that monies
meant for the Judiciary and Legislature be deducted at source.
Governor Ortom noted that a framework to that effect was being
worked out, expressing the belief that when the process is
completed, Nigerian Governors would also key into it.

The position was sour in Rivers State as Governor Nyesom Wike
threatened to stop the implementation of financial Autonomy for the
judicial arm of government in the State should court workers and
their union refuses to call off the strike in the state.

data-instgrm-permalink= "https://www.instagram.com/p/CN28BEVhsua/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13">

Governor Wike said this after the NBA Chairman in Port Harcourt
commended him for his total support to the Judicial arm in the
state and also pride it as the best among all states in Nigeria.
The governor in his response said the strike in the state is
absolutely useless and encouraged the NBA members to continue as
long as they have the strength to do so.

He said, “if you (NBA) commend this administration for our
support for the Judiciary and implementing the Financial Autonomy,
what then is the use of the strike in the state?”.

In a related development, hundreds of lawyers from the five
branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) in Edo State, were
barred by security agents from gaining access to the Government in
order to submit their letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki calling for
financial autonomy for the judiciary. The NBA members, led by the
Chairman, Benin Branch, Pius Oiwoh, were drawn from the Igarra,
Auchi, Uromi and Ekpoma branches of the union. After waiting for
over one hour, the lawyers matched to Edo State Council Secretariat
of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, where Oiwoh told
journalists that their visit to government house was on the
directive of the National President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, who
hails from Edo State, that they should present their letter of
appeal to the governor to grant financial autonomy to the
judiciary.

It was good news in Delta state as government of the state said
no effort would be spared in the full implementation of financial
autonomy of the judiciary. The State Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor (SAN) stated it on
behalf of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa while addressing members of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria
(JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) who
staged a peaceful protest to Government House, Asaba.

Mr. Mrakpor said that the bill for financial autonomy of the
judiciary was passed into law in the state in March 2020, stressing
that the state government has put the autonomy request in the first
line charge in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state. He
assured the protesters that all grey areas for full implementation
was on course and urged them to remain peaceful and law abiding in
pressing home their demands.

Also, Senior members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have
also aired their voice by asking President Muhammadu Buhari to
invoke Executive Order 10 against state governors as a way of
compelling them to respect the nation’s constitution and the rule
of law on Separation of Powers.

The Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja lambasted the
state governors over their alleged disregard of the Supreme law of
the country. At a briefing to formally endorse the indefinite
nationwide strike by the Judiciary workers, the senior lawyers
praised the federal government for allowing separation of powers
among the three arms of the government at the federal level.

Joe Gadzama and Yakubu Maikyau both Senior Advocates, who
addressed the media condemned state governors for their alleged
deliberate refusal to obey and protect the constitution as it
relates to the separation of powers at the state level and urged
President Buhari to bring them to the right track.

The senior lawyers had earlier blocked the entrance of the
National Assembly in their bid to take their protest against the
non-implementation of financial autonomy of the Judiciary to the
leadership of the senate.

The protesting lawyers led by the first Vice President of the
NBA, Mr John Aikpokpo-Martins, however, stood at the entrance of
the National Assembly for over three hours insisting there would be
no entry nor exit until they were allowed in. Aikpkpo-Martins said
they were on a mission because it tallies with the NBA motto which
is promoting the rule of law and independence of the Judiciary.

*As NBA Ikeja marches for judicial autonomy
*NBA Visits Oyo Govt Over Judiciary Autonomy, Vows To Pay Weekly
Visit Until They Get Governor’s Attention
*Benue Governor pledges support for judicial autonomy
*As Wike Threatens To Withdraw Support For Autonomy If JUSUN Fails
Call Of The Strike
*Security Agents Deny Protesting Lawyers Entrance Into Edo Govt
Office
*All Grey Areas For Full Implementation Is On Course–
Delta

The Nigerian Bar Association Branches across the country
Thursday visited the governors of their respective states as a
solidarity for the ongoing strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of
Nigeria, JUSUN.

Recall that JUSUN, on April 6 embarked on an industrial action,
shutting down courts across the nation, demanding judicial
independence following which the national president of NBA, Olumide
Akpata, directed that all NBA Branches should meet the governors of
their respective states.

NBA Ikeja Branch was seen on Monday with placards lawyers led by
the Chairman, Bartholomew Aguebodo, who took off from Ikeja Bar
Centre and marched through Oba Akinjobi, into Obafemi Awolowo Way
towards Alausa secretariat.

Meanwhile, our correspondent learned that four of the NBA
Branches in the state, namely Lagos, Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry have
agreed to pay a “visit” to the Governors’ office on Tuesday in line
with the directive from the NBA President, Olumide Akpata.

The Oyo NBA comprising of the Ibadan, Oyo, Saki, and Ogbomoso
branch chairmen, the executives, and senior members of the bar
converged on the secretariat with a jointly written demand to
request that the state government should ensure full compliance
with existing legislative instruments and court judgments on the
financial autonomy of the Judiciary. The lawyers visited the
Ministry of Justice where they were told the Attorney General and
Commissioner of Justice was not around and they dropped a copy of
their letter, the same was done at the House of Assembly and the
High Court Complex at Ring Road.

On the other hand, the NBA Benue Branch recorded success in
their visit to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom who said his
administration is in full support of autonomy for Judiciary and
Legislative Arms of Government. He stated that autonomy for the two
arms of government is allowed under the constitution and as someone
who has respect for the Rule of Law, he would prefer that monies
meant for the Judiciary and Legislature be deducted at source.
Governor Ortom noted that a framework to that effect was being
worked out, expressing the belief that when the process is
completed, Nigerian Governors would also key into it.

The position was sour in Rivers State as Governor Nyesom Wike
threatened to stop the implementation of financial Autonomy for the
judicial arm of government in the State should court workers and
their union refuses to call off the strike in the state.

data-instgrm-permalink= "https://www.instagram.com/p/CN28BEVhsua/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13">

Governor Wike said this after the NBA Chairman in Port Harcourt
commended him for his total support to the Judicial arm in the
state and also pride it as the best among all states in Nigeria.
The governor in his response said the strike in the state is
absolutely useless and encouraged the NBA members to continue as
long as they have the strength to do so.

He said, “if you (NBA) commend this administration for our
support for the Judiciary and implementing the Financial Autonomy,
what then is the use of the strike in the state?”.

In a related development, hundreds of lawyers from the five
branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) in Edo State, were
barred by security agents from gaining access to the Government in
order to submit their letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki calling for
financial autonomy for the judiciary. The NBA members, led by the
Chairman, Benin Branch, Pius Oiwoh, were drawn from the Igarra,
Auchi, Uromi and Ekpoma branches of the union. After waiting for
over one hour, the lawyers matched to Edo State Council Secretariat
of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, where Oiwoh told
journalists that their visit to government house was on the
directive of the National President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, who
hails from Edo State, that they should present their letter of
appeal to the governor to grant financial autonomy to the
judiciary.

It was good news in Delta state as government of the state said
no effort would be spared in the full implementation of financial
autonomy of the judiciary. The State Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Peter Mrakpor (SAN) stated it on
behalf of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa while addressing members of the
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria
(JUSUN) and Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) who
staged a peaceful protest to Government House, Asaba.

Mr. Mrakpor said that the bill for financial autonomy of the
judiciary was passed into law in the state in March 2020, stressing
that the state government has put the autonomy request in the first
line charge in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state. He
assured the protesters that all grey areas for full implementation
was on course and urged them to remain peaceful and law abiding in
pressing home their demands.

Also, Senior members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have
also aired their voice by asking President Muhammadu Buhari to
invoke Executive Order 10 against state governors as a way of
compelling them to respect the nation’s constitution and the rule
of law on Separation of Powers.

The Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja lambasted the
state governors over their alleged disregard of the Supreme law of
the country. At a briefing to formally endorse the indefinite
nationwide strike by the Judiciary workers, the senior lawyers
praised the federal government for allowing separation of powers
among the three arms of the government at the federal level.

Joe Gadzama and Yakubu Maikyau both Senior Advocates, who
addressed the media condemned state governors for their alleged
deliberate refusal to obey and protect the constitution as it
relates to the separation of powers at the state level and urged
President Buhari to bring them to the right track.

The senior lawyers had earlier blocked the entrance of the
National Assembly in their bid to take their protest against the
non-implementation of financial autonomy of the Judiciary to the
leadership of the senate.

The protesting lawyers led by the first Vice President of the
NBA, Mr John Aikpokpo-Martins, however, stood at the entrance of
the National Assembly for over three hours insisting there would be
no entry nor exit until they were allowed in. Aikpkpo-Martins said
they were on a mission because it tallies with the NBA motto which
is promoting the rule of law and independence of the Judiciary.