NBA asks tribunal Judge to name SAN, sets up panel to probe allegation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Allegation made by Kano Election Petition Tribunal Chairman, Judge Flora Azinge, that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) attempted to bribe her with N10 billion has been taken up by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for investigation and sanction if proven.
“A Senior Advocate of Nigeria who has a pending case before me is attempting to bribe me. Money has been flying in this tribunal since yesterday. Whoever collects money on my behalf, God will punish that person and his generation yet unborn – to the fourth generation,” Azinge announced in open court on Tuesday.
“They keep abusing judges, insulting us every day in the papers, in the media – that we are taking bribes .… Let me repeat again that nobody should approach me with money again. I’m contented with what God has given me, and I have a roof over my head.”
Arinze later clarified her statement as follows:
“What I said was that there is an allegation that money is transferred to the account of an orderly of one of us and a tribunal staff by a lawyer. The said staff is currently under investigation on this matter.
“A lawyer attempted to bring meat for me during the Eid-El Kabir celebration which I declined and cautioned him that it is unethical.”
The NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) asked Azinge to name the culprit and has set up a panel of three members to investigate the allegation and submit a report within 10 days.
The Section described as “shameless characters” senior lawyers who offered the bribe to pervert justice.
It condemned the unethical act and commended Azinge by disclosing the attempt to bribe her and compromise the tribunal, according to a statement issued by NBA-SPIDEL Chairman John Aikpokpo-Martins and Secretary Funmi Adeogun.
“Information that has gone viral on social media indicates that … Azinge, the Chairman of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Kano State, in an unprecedented manner expressed displeasure and anger in the open court when she alleged that a Senior Advocate appearing before the tribunal attempted to bribe her to pervert the course of justice,” the statement said.
“The … Chairman was quoted to have particularly stated thus ‘A Senior Advocate of Nigeria who has a pending case before me is attempting to bribe me. Money has been flying in this tribunal since yesterday.
‘“Whoever collects money on my behalf, God will punish that person and his generation yet unborn – to the fourth generation. They keep abusing Judges, insulting us every day in the papers, in the media – that we are taking bribe. Let me repeat again that nobody should approach me.”’
“SPIDEL commends [Azinge] for voicing out the fact that attempts have been made by a Senior Advocate to bribe and by extension compromise the tribunal; and more importantly, that money has been shamelessly flying around in the tribunal for some time.
“SPIDEL strongly condemns these evil practices and attempts to compromise the integrity of the tribunal by unscrupulous legal practitioners.
“It must be stated that attempts to bribe Judges and pervert justice are not only criminal in nature but also amounts to infractions of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
“Any lawyer who engages in attempts to compromise the integrity of the court or any of its officers is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the legal profession.
“By the Rule 1 of the extant Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007, it is incumbent upon every lawyer to uphold and observe the rule of law, promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain a high standard of professional conduct and not engage in any conduct which is unbecoming of a legal practitioner.
“Lawyers, as officers of the court, are obliged not to conduct themselves in any manner that may obstruct, delay, or adversely affect the due administration of justice.”
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Azinge urged to produce evidence of allegation
“SPIDEL is of the considered opinion, therefore, that it is not sufficient for [Azinge] to cry out, as she has courageously done. [She] is obliged, therefore, as a member of the legal profession, to give names of the shameless characters to substantiate her allegations,” the statement added, per reporting by BarristerNG.com.
“It is only in doing this that [Azinge] would have fully discharged the moral and ethical burden placed on her.
“SPIDEL notes, unfortunately, that the Honourable Chairman has sought to modify her earlier statement, and we hope that this modification is not arising from pressures on her. To keep silent is to enable malfeasance and perpetuate irresponsible behaviour.
“May we reiterate that the later modification of the earlier statement of the Honourable Chairman of Tribunal is very surprising and confusing.
“SPIDEL is willing and ready to take this matter up to ensure that the said Senior Advocate is made to face the wrath of the law as a scapegoat. We would not be satisfied except the Senior Advocate is called out by [Azinge].
“We, therefore, call on the Honourable Chairman, Honourable Justice Flora Azinge, to boldly and courageously disclose the name of the Senior Advocate and other senior lawyers (if any) involved in this scandalous attempt to compromise the integrity of the tribunal.
“This call is expedient and the grant of same by the Honourable Chairman is imperative to enable SPIDEL do the needful in accordance with her mandate and in furtherance of the objectives of the Rules of Professional Conduct in the Legal Profession, which make it a duty upon every lawyer to report every infraction of the RPC to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
“The nation is watching as the legal profession is now in the eye of the storm by the allegations. We owe ourselves the sacred duty to protect the nobility of the legal profession, maintain the sanctity of our courts, and defend the integrity of the judiciary.
“In the light of the above, SPIDEL hereby constitutes a team to investigate these allegations. The team is made up of:
- “Kunle Edun (Warri Branch)
- “Yakubu S. Bawa (Jos Branch)
- “Abiye Tam-George (Lagos Branch)
“The team is expected to submit a report to SPIDEL within the next 10 days.”
