Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the Nigerian Bar Association over its recently concluded annual conference in Rivers State, questioning the decision to give prominence to political figures he accused of undermining the rule of law.
Wike, who spoke in an interview, said he deliberately stayed away from the conference despite being in Rivers State because, in his view, the event had been turned into a political gathering rather than a platform for addressing issues affecting the legal profession.
The former Rivers State governor described the conference as the worst he had witnessed since the NBA began its annual gathering, alleging that it was poorly organised.
“It was a complete flop. Organisation was zero,” Wike said.
The minister particularly faulted the NBA for inviting a former governor whom he accused of shutting down courts in the state for almost two years, saying such a decision was inconsistent with the association’s responsibility to defend the rule of law and judicial independence.
“How could NBA go and bring somebody who locked up the court for almost two years onto the platform of NBA?” Wike asked.
He said his criticism was not based on the political affiliation of the former governor but on what he described as the need for the NBA to protect the credibility of the legal profession and uphold the principles it publicly advocates.
Wike argued that it was contradictory for the NBA to discuss judicial independence and the rule of law at its conference while simultaneously giving prominence to an individual whom he accused of undermining the judiciary.
He said the association should be more circumspect in deciding who to invite, honour or place on its platforms, warning that such choices could affect public confidence in the NBA.
The FCT minister also accused the conference organisers of allowing partisan politics to overshadow professional issues, saying the event should have focused on matters concerning the legal profession and the administration of justice.
“Instead of focusing on the real thing the NBA conference is supposed to be, they started playing politics,” he said.
Wike also disclosed that he had previously told the current NBA President about his reservations concerning individuals who supported her emergence as president of the association and explained why he would not back her candidacy.
According to him, the NBA president later visited him, during which he again expressed his concerns and stressed the need for her administration to focus on the challenges confronting the association.
The minister further raised concerns about the implications of giving prominence to individuals with controversial records, asking what could happen if such a person were eventually considered for one of the country’s highest political offices.
Wike maintained that the NBA, as a professional body at the forefront of promoting justice and the rule of law, should ensure that its activities and choice of guests do not contradict the principles it seeks to defend.
