Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has slammed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for failing to live up to its responsibilities to society.
Wike, who spoke at the opening of the 61st NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with the theme: “Taking the lead”, said the NBA had not done enough to promote good governance and democracy.
According to him, “A little moment of introspection would reveal that the NBA is not what it used to be before the estimation of Nigerians in terms of the quality and commitments of its disposition to the struggle for the rule of law, social justice and national development.
“Since the birth of this nation, Nigerians have relied on the law and our legal system to settle disputes, prevent crime, promote democracy, protect human rights and regulate virtually all aspects of both private and public life;
“But the central question is whether the NBA has been living up to its credo and responsibility?
While bemoaning the negligence on the part of the NBA in promoting social values, he accused the Federal Government of failing to carry out its basic duties to citizens.
“While I would leave us to be the judge, my own personal conclusion is that, for years now, the NBA has focused less on promoting and fighting for the values of good governance, democracy, judicial independence, human rights and the rule of law.
“These are some of the concerning facts: Never in our political history has Nigeria been so badly governed and denied of good governance with the Federal Government woefully failing in its basic duties to provide for the wellbeing and security of its own citizens as we have experienced in the last six years,” Wike added.
He also blamed the Federal Government for continuously undermining the welfare of judicial officers with poor remunerations.
“The struggle for a better deal for our judicial officers is one the NBA must champion with utmost priority and commitment before it’s too late in the day to rescue it from total collapse,” he said.
