NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN, Marks 20 Years Of Civil Rule, Says Experience Shows There Is No Substitute For Democracy

* Warns Buhari, Govs against influencing post-election litigation

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has cautioned against undue interference in the activities of judges engage in the adjudication of post-election litigation in the various election tribunals across the country.

The NBA urged those, who took the oath of office on Wednesday, not to compromise the independence of the Judiciary and respect for the principle of rule of law as a way of sustaining the nation’s democracy.

NBA President, Paul Usoro (SAN) was said, in a statement on Wednesday by the association’s National Publicity Secretary, Kunle Edun, to have noted the inauguration of elected leaders in the Executive arm for another four-year term was a milestone in the nation’s democratic journey.

The statement reads in part: “The NBA President notes that today is a milestone in the Nigerian democratic experience as the country marks twenty years of uninterrupted civil rule.

“The NBA President states that the experience of the last twenty years has evidently shown that there is no substitute for democracy, but for citizens to reap the full benefits of any democracy, government must be consciously dedicated to the observance of the rule of law at all times.

“The NBA President further states that one of the indices of respect of the rule of law is the strengthening of the independence of the judiciary.

“The Nigerian Bar Association shall not hesitate to always call on the other arms of government not to weaken the judicial arm of government. It is pertinent for government at all levels to obey and abide by orders of courts.

“In this light, the NBA President brings to fore the pending election petitions challenging some of the elections that heralded the inauguration the nation is witnessing today.

“It is the hope of the Bar that the heads of governments being sworn in today shall not unduly influence the Bench, as doing so would be a contravention of the oaths of offices taken today.

“The NBA President congratulates the heads of governments, charges them to engage in masses-friendly policies and wishes Nigerians a memorable inauguration day.”