Machina vs Lawan: NBA President Maikyau, Ajulo, Share Stance against Attack on Judiciary

LAWYERS CRITICISING SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT ON LAWAN’S CASE WILL FACE SANCTION – NBA PRESIDENT

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, has said lawyers criticising the decision of the Supreme Court affirming the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as a senatorial candidate in the forthcoming general elections will face sanction.

Mr Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), spoke on Thursday at a valedictory court session in honour of Ibrahim Buba, a retired judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

L-R: NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau and Dr. Kayode Ajulo

The NBA President praised Mr Buba for his selfless service to the nation.

He recalled the jurist’s many contributions to the development of Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

But Mr Maikyau then upbraided some lawyers for criticising the Supreme Court over its recent decision on Mr Lawan’s case.

In a split decision, the majority decision of a five-member panel of the Supreme Court controversially declared Mr Lawan as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Yobe North Senatorial District candidate.

“We are calling on the court to ensure that these lawyers face the consequences as the NBA will take steps in bringing the lawyers to book,” Mr Maikyau vowed.

Meanwhile, constitutional lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, has also lend his voice into supporting the position of the NBA President, Maikyau, against those sponsoring attacks against the judiciary.

Dr. Ajulo bore his mind in the situation during a chat with JustNews.

He said politicians are equally guilty of sponsoring attacks against the judiciary. He added that politicians who are in the habit of the unjustifiable and unpleasant act against the judiciary, will no longer be spared of the consequences, as he threatened they will soon be named.

“You will agree with me it’s not only lawyers that engage in the act of doing this attack, politicians have equally been noticed to also sponsor the attacks, but I can confidently say we are going to curb it. As a matter of fact, we shall begin to name the politicians that are culpable and take necessary action” Ajulo said.

BACKGROUND
Mr Maikyau’s rebuke came amid growing criticisms of the Supreme Court over some of its recent judgements that were seen by many as “controversial.”

In one such verdicts, the Supreme Court on 20 January declared Godswill Akpabio as the validly nominated candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Akwa-Ibom North-West senatorial seat election holding on 25 February.

Mr Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa-Ibom State and ex-minister of Niger Delta Affairs, was locked in a fierce legal battle with Udom Ekpoudom, a retired deputy inspector general of police, over the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial ticket for the poll.

But the Supreme Court nullified Mr Ekpoudom’s candidacy, paving the way for Mr Akpabio, whom many say did not participate in the APC senatorial primary election for Akwa-Ibom North-West District.

Similarly, the court on Monday declared Mr Lawan candidate of the APC for Yobe North Senatorial District for the February general election.

Additional Report from Premium Times