*Says Such Call Unpatriotic And Unhealthy For The Judiciary
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S. Long Williams Esq. has differed with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on its position for its position that the ongoing Industrial action embarked upon by members of the Judicial Union of Nigeria (JSUN) aimed at compelling the State Government to implement Financial Autonomy for the Judiciary be suspended for Federal Courts System since the Federal Government has heeded the call.
S. Long Williams Esq. in strong terms disagreed with the NBA noting that such position is unpatriotic and not healthy for the Judiciary.
You would recall that on Tuesday, 6th April, 2021, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) embarked on industrial action by shutting down courts in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The grouse of JUSUN amongst others is that State Governments have refused to implement the fiscal Independence of the Judiciary as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and had
also refused to comply with the 2014 judgment affirming the fiscal independence of the Judiciary as contained in the Constitution.
S. LongWilliams in his statement said: “I must emphatically state that this action by JUSUN is proactive, bold, necessary and in the right direction. I am completely on the same page with JUSUN on this action” Williams Esq. noted.
He also noted that ordinarily, The Nigerian Bar Association should be leading the strike for fiscal autonomy for the Judiciary and other arms of government including the enthronement of true federalism in governance in Nigeria as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended but alas the reverse is the case. Instead, the NBA is sitting down to negotiate with JUSUN to call off the strike at the Federal level on the premise that autonomy for the Judiciary is being implemented at the Federal level. I don’t support the NBA on this one.
“This is a struggle the NBA is supposed to organize, mobilize and lead which we abysmally failed to do, another body has picked up the gauntlet and we who are supposed to champion the action is clamoring for a reversal of the action on some unfathomable grounds.”
He further noted that the position of the NBA on the ongoing strike is unacceptable, unhealthy, counterproductive, and may boomerang against the NBA if care is not taken.
According to him, the NBA is just playing the ostrich in this matter and what the NBA is doing by asking JUSUN to call off the strike at the federal level amounts to sheer selfishness on the part of the NBA. The Bar seems to be only interested in getting its members back to work to earn fees without considering the bigger picture as it impacts on the administration of justice in the country.
He said he has always supported and encouraged the Olumide Anthony Akpata led administration but on this, he begs to differ. He further advises the NBA leadership to mobilize its members all over the country to join the strike but if it cannot do that, NBA should not be the one calling for a partial lifting of the strike as that will whittle down the potency of the JUSUN action and put the NBA in a bad light in the eyes of Nigerians.
NBA should not and never sit on the fence in this matter, it must take a side and stand tall, bold, and tall with JUSUN for as he submitted Elie Wiesel once mused “Always take sides, neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor never the tormented”.
You would recall that as reported by TheNigeriaLaywer in a meeting it had with leadership of JUSUN called on the body to suspend it ongoing industrial action for Federal Courts while throwing it’s weight behind the closure of State Courts.
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