Suspension of LG Chairmen: NBA-Benin Insists On Rule of Law
…Calls on Edo CP to prosecute attackers of Wole Iyamu, SAN
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Benin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed worry over the controversial suspension of the 18 local government councils’ chairmen in Edo State which it stated stood the rule of law on its head and appealed to the Attorney General of the State and all other ministers in the temple of Justice to advise according to the tenets of the law. The NBA insisted that the rule of law must be seen to be above all.
The NBA-Benin also frowned at the harassment of a former Attorney General of the state, Wole Iyamu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) by some non-state actors at the premises of the Benin High Court under the guise of retrieving government property in his possession.
A statement made available to newsmen by the chairman of NBA-Benin, Nosa Francis Edo-Osagie, titled: ‘The Suspension of Local Government Chairmen in Edo State By The State Assembly As Well As The Harassment Of A Senior Lawyer Wole Iyamu, SAN: Our Position’, called on state the commissioner of police to look into Iyamu’s harassment and bring the perpetrators of the attacks to book.
The statement read:
“The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, expresses its profound sorrow and indignation over the incidences of Tuesday the 17th day of December 2024 that appeared to stand the rule of law on its head.
“The NBA-BENIN was aghast when it received the news that the Edo State Assembly purportedly suspended democratically elected local government chairmen on the guise of misconduct.
“The NBA-BENIN states categorically that the recent Supreme Court decision in AG of the Federation v. AG of Abia State & Ors (2024) LPELR-62576 (SC) has affirmed beyond peradventure the autonomy of the local governments. We therefore urge on all actors to constrain themselves to act within the ambit of the law.
“The law has provided for the proper channels to anyone who desires to find out the true financial state of the Local Government Councils. We appeal to the Attorney General and all other ministers in the temple of Justice to advise accordingly in line with the tenets of the law as the rule of law must be seen to be above all.
“In a similar vein, reports indicate that Mr. Wole IYAMU, SAN a senior lawyer and a past Attorney General of the state suffered harassment at the premises of the High Court by non-state actors purportedly on the premise that he had state property in his possession.
“The NBA-BENIN categorically states that affairs of state are conducted by law enforcement and officers of the state. It is bad enough for anyone to usurp the legally designated roles of law enforcement agencies, but it is unacceptable for such usurpation to happen in the premises of our temples of justice.
“We therefore call on the Commissioner of Police to look into the harassment of Mr. IYAMU and bring the perpetrators of such attacks to book.
“As the NBA-BENIN will never sit idly by and watch rights of individuals get trampled upon, let alone one of its members. The NBA-Benin will continue to advocate for justice, fairness, and accountability in all spheres of society”.
