Lawyers call for need to break old order of governance

• Niger, others hold Nigerian Passports – Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau SAN, has said there is need for young lawyers to be properly mentored, as the need to break the old order of governance is necessary.
Speaking at the National summit of the NBA young lawyers forum, in Abuja, Maikyau emphasized that the young lawyers are positive that with the right guidance and mentorship, they would be able to scale through all the challenges and attain the prestigious ranks in the profession.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has revealed that some foreigners who have no business holding Nigerian passports are in possession of the country’s passport.
This was revealed at the ongoing Youth Leadership Summit of the Young Lawyers Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) themed “Breaking the Old Order of Governance and Advocacy”.
The event is aimed at bringing stakeholders together to brainstorm on issues revolving around good governance and advocacy.
He said there were Ghanaians, people from Niger Republic, and the rest who hold Nigerian passports but added “What we have been able to do is to introduce a verification system into passport application and issuance.”
The minister assured that the government is doing everything possible to correct it.
He further assured Nigerians that with lawyers in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the government would succeed.
Tunji-Ojo listed lawyers advising Tinubu to include the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, Chief of Staff To the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
The minister told the audience that he was confident that with the caliber of lawyers in Tinubu’s government, the administration was on track to getting things right in the country.
He said, “this administration has no reason not to get it right. I say this emphatically (because) we have one of the most celebrated lawyers today, the Attorney-General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Chief of Staff To the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Principal Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem P. When we look at the people advising the president, they are lawyers.”
Further in his submissions, the Yakubu Maikyau, maintained that the country remains the greatest country on the face of the earth potentially saying potential makes no meaning to you until one converts it to an experience.
“If have 10,000 naira in your pocket, you will die of hunger unless you convert it into an experience of getting food which you will eat to deal with that hunger. That is the case in Nigeria,” Maikyau said.
The NBA president however admitted that the generality of Nigerians are unhappy with the results the country has gotten so far despite various processes of governance and advocacies.
He agreed with the lawyers on the need to break from the old order of governance and advocacy.