Igbo lawyers laud Ambode, preach tolerance

Igbo lawyers under the aegis of Otu Oka Iwu have congratulated Mr. Akinwumi Ambode on his emergence as the Governor-elect of Lagos State. Describing Ambode’s victory as “historic,” the umbrella association of Igbo lawyers noted that “as a veteran civil servant, the Governor-elect has the hands-on experience to take Lagos State to the next level, given the stellar performance of accomplished lawyer, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN).”

In a statement by Mr. Zik Obi II and Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, President and Publicity Secretary respectively, the association also applauded Mr. Jimi Agbaje for bowing to the wishes of the electorate and congratulating Ambode on his victory in the hotly contested election, adding that such “sportsmanship is increasingly taking root in our political sphere.”

In a veiled reference to the controversy that broke out on the eve of the governorship election, the law society urged Ambode to “take specific steps to reassure all Lagos residents that his administration will not engage in a deliberate policy that adversely targets any individual or groups,” adding that “It has become even more pressing to take definite measures aimed at rebuilding confidence in the entire populace and assuring all that Lagos remains the ideal place to pursue the ‘Nigerian dream’ with honesty and diligence.”

The law society said: “We urge the Governor-elect to emulate the President-elect Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) by committing to the promotion of rule of law, just and principled governance where no-one is oppressed due to favouritism based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status”.

“The Governor-elect must also sustain the exemplary law reforms of the Fashola Administration and indeed take the reforms to the next level. The justice sector has been given a breath of fresh air due to these laudable reforms.

However, it naturally remains a work in progress. While assuring the Governor-elect of our support and cooperation, we urge him to ensure a level playing field in the area of law enforcement, such that all Nigerians are equal before the law. More importantly, deliberate steps should be taken to curb the excesses of law enforcement agencies promoted by the state by speedily isolating and bringing to justice bad eggs in their midst.”