President of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Mr
Afam Osigwe (SAN), has said that the political imbroglio in Rivers State is
because of the ego of the political actors involved.
The president made the assertion on Wednesday in Abuja
while fielding questions at a news conference organised by the association
ahead of the NBA Section on Legal Practice’s (NBA-SLP) annual conference.
According to the Osigwe, the problem in Rivers is
caused by the ego of the principal actors in refusing to sit down to find a
solution that works for the people of Rivers.
“Blaming the Supreme Court or any other body will not
solve the problem.
“ If the actors
had placed Rivers above their own personal interests and cared about the
security and welfare of the people, we will not be where we are.
“It became an ego fight and an issue of who wins. So,
ego is at the base of the problem in Rivers and not the Supreme Court.
“People get judgements from the court and still decide
to go for an amicable solution, so it is not the judgement of the Supreme Court
but the principal actors that are to be blamed,’’ Osigwe said.
He added that while the NBA was not in a legal
argument with the president, the association was of the view that some of the
actions taken may not be supported by the constitution.
“We are of the opinion that Section 305 of the 1999
Constitution cannot be read in isolation from Section 11 of the same
constitution.
“There have been killings in many states in Nigeria
and much more break down of law and order than we have seen in Rivers but no
state of emergency was declared in those states.
“We are of the
view that the problem in Rivers can be solved by the principal actors
swallowing their egos and putting the welfare and security of the people of
Rivers above their personal interests.
“This declaration may not solve the problem in Rivers
and it worries me that an administrator can be appointed and worse still a
retired military officer to administer the state.
“It is unconstitutional and should not be supported
because we may be setting a dangerous precedent,’’ Osigwe said.
Earlier, the Chairman Conference Planning Committee,
Mr Paul Harris Ogbole (SAN), said that the theme for the 2025 NBA-SLP
Conference was “Uncommon Challenges in a Rapidly Changing Legal Environment’’.
Ogbole said the conference aimed to explore the
contemporary challenges evolving in the legal environment.
He said they would also explore the impact of global
interconnectedness on legal systems, the growing demand for specialised legal
services and provide insights into navigating the legal frontiers.
“The conference will also highlight great
opportunities for legal practitioners including the development of legal
technological solutions, the expansion of alternative dispute resolution
mechanisms and the increasing focus access to justice and legal empowerment.
The conference will hold in Jos from April 24 to 27.
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