By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
A group of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have kicked against the allegations of fraud and corruption against Judges and the Judiciary.
This is following a certain controversial decisions entered by few judges in some political cases and warned those involved to desist immediately in the interest the country and its citizens.
The lawyers and politicians allegedly involved in tarnishing the image of the nation’s judiciary were asked to have a second thought in their war against the institution so as not to bring it down.
Among the Senior Advocates who expressed displeasure in what he described as unwarranted and reckless attack against the judiciary are Chief Mike Ahamba.
Others lawyers are a former Abia State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Awa Kalu, SAN, rights activist Mr Kunle Adegoke, SAN and constitutional lawyer Dr Olukayode Ajulo, SAN.
The senior lawyers who disagreed with their colleagues joining forces with non-lawyers in politics said they ought to know that portraying the judiciary as a failed institution amounted to endorsing anarchy to terminate the Nigeria project.
According to them, while it is not in doubt that few judges across levels of court lately gave certain controversial judgments in few political cases, demonizing the entire judiciary because of the few errors was not only unfair to the majority of upright judges faithfully discharging their duties but also has the capacity to undermine the legitimacy of the third arm of government which thrives on public perception.
The lawyers had separately said while it is understandable that politicians would eulogize the judiciary each time its verdicts were in their favour and would not stop at anything to set the institution ablaze when its judgments are against them, it is disturbing that lawyers who understand procedure would join the fray and most times sponsor the denigration war against the judiciary.
Although they spoke at separate times with our correspondent, they did not mention any lawyer engaging in the alleged misconduct
but counselled them on how to handle the situation where wrong judgments are entered in cases.
Lagos-based lawyer, Mr Kunle Adegoke, SAN said, “Yes, we have few elements in the judiciary that are bad. We cannot shy away from that. It is, however, easier to notice the negative side of any person or any system.
“The positive aspect hardly registers sufficiently to the good measure of appreciation by the populace. And when in a system, a few bad elements commit some atrocities, the tendency is for the people to register a negative perception against such a system.
“In the judiciary today, I still believe as a practitioner that we have majority of judges that are quite upright presiding over cases.
“Those ones are doing creditably well. It will now be a form of injustice to rubbish the entire judiciary because of the negative activities of a few of the judges that are perpetrating atrocities.
“Besides, when you look at the judicial system in Nigeria and the Nigeria populace, tendency is for some people to want to blame every other person except themselves for their own failure.”
