President Muhammadu Buhari
The 58th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association
(NBA) has ended in Abuja with the association rejecting the presidential
statement subordinating the Rule of Law to National Security, according
to Nigerian Tribune.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, had while declaring the
conference opened said the security of the country cannot be sacrificed
on the altar of the Rule of Law where national interest is threatened.
The NBA restated, in a communique made available to newsmen on
Friday at the end of its conference that the Rule of Law is central to a
democracy and any National Security concerns and that the government
must be managed within the perimeters and parameters of the Rule of Law.
The NBA conference, which acknowledged the importance of a highly
professional police force in a democratic dispensation, called on the
federal government to adequately fund, equip and improve the welfare of
the officers and men of the Nigerian Police.
It also urged government to give serious consideration to calls for
the creation of states Police with safeguards to prevent abuse, this
way, the association said, law and order will be more effective in the
country.
According to the communique, the association frowned at the present
growing trend whereby government decides on which court orders to obey,
saying the “Court has exclusive duty under a democratic
dispensation to interpret the Constitution and other laws, and
government and the citizenry must comply with court orders at all times
until set aside.”
The association also objected to the issuance of Presidential
Executive Orders in respect to matters already in court, adding that,
Executive Orders can be issued for good governance and to manage
operations of government, and not to encroach or usurp upon the
constitutional powers of other arms of government.
While noting that democracy can be better strengthened by an
independent judiciary, the NBA called for a budgetary arrangement that
will allow funds to be directly allocated to the judiciary at Federal
and State levels.
As a way of institutionalising higher standards for
transformational leadership in the country, the association called for
new laws to set higher standards of academic qualifications for
political office holders in Nigeria.
The communique which was signed by Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) and
Abiola Olagunju, the immediate past President and General Secretary of
the NBA also made case for mutual respect between the Executive and
Legislative arms of government for sustainable development.
“In this regard, public interest must be enthroned as a central
pivot of governance, and the current bickering must be reduced to the
barest minimum,” it said.
For rapid transformation of the economy, the NBA charged the
federal government to approach poverty alleviation through wealth
creation, industrialisation, provision of finance to small and medium
enterprises and social welfare schemes.
“The Nigerian budget should be investment-driven with more
reliance placed on local production and entrepreneurship while States
should commit to supporting credit facilities to improve the provision
of funds at the state level.
The NBA also advocated for speedy passage of the bill on persons
with disability, and gender equality presently before the National
Assembly, establishment of committees and task forces to promote
diversity and inclusion at all levels in Nigeria and to render
continuous support for empowerment of women and urges employers to take
steps to make the workplace more gender friendly.
The conference, with the theme, “Transition, Transformation and Sustainable Institutions,” which
started on 26th of August and ended on the 30th Day of August 2018 had
had over 10,000 registered delegates and invited guests.