President of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Olumide Akpata, has called on lawyers in the country to protect the association.
Akpata spoke, yesterday, at the close of a two-day workshop organised by the body in collaboration with MacArthur foundation on implementation assessment of the administration of criminal justice law in Delta State
Fielding questions from newsmen, Akpata said as a foremost professional body in the country, he was aware that some persons were not comfortable with the body, calling on lawyers to take steps to ensure they protect the NBA from alleged conspiracy to weaken it.
He said: “Our association is very dear to us, so I was just calling lawyers to watch out for what I consider the conspiracy to dim the power of the NBA. 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 superintends 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 wings and caprices of anybody.
“I’m about to leave the stage as president and I am just charging by colleagues to be vigilante that not many are happy about the strength of our association, so I think we must protect that which is
Earlier in the workshop, Attorney-General and Commissioner forJustice, Delta State, Isaiah Bozimo, had lauded the body for coming up with a workshop on issues around the criminal justice system, human rights and related matters.
Credit : THE VANGUARD.
