Solanke urges lawyers to maintain high standards

NBA debunks withdrawing suit against Uzoka-Anite

The first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs Folake Solanke has urged legal professionals to maintain high standards in the profession. The SAN gave the charge at the 64th yearly general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held in Lagos.

At the conference, with the theme, “Pressing Forward: A National Posture for Rebuilding Nigeria,” Solanke noted that lawyers play a crucial role in society and beyond.

“When I joined the profession 61 years ago, the situation of the country was very different. But I know that whatever problem we have now, we will be able to solve them,” she stated. She congratulated the new acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and urged her to do everything she can to improve the status of the judiciary in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, at the conference, NBA denied withdrawing the suit it filed against the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite.

The suit was filed over an Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) agreement signed in February which was to boost trade and investment between UK and Nigeria. The chairman, caretaker committee of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), Steve Adehi (SAN) clarified at the AGM.

He said although the Minister had clarified that Nigeria does not have a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the UK to allow its lawyers to practice in Nigeria, the agreement was not in the interest of Nigerian lawyers.

“The case against the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment is still in court. It is not among the cases withdrawn from the courts. “The matter is being handled by one of our senior advocates on behalf of SPIDEL and we will follow it to its logical conclusion,” he said.

Adehi said when they took over, they reviewed all cases inherited from their predecessors and decided to discontinue some of them based on the mandate of the National Executive Committee (NEC) as decided at its February meeting.

He stated that one of the cases involving Hanatu Musa, a National Youth Service Commission (NYSC) member, was dismissed early this year. He said they reviewed two cases against IGP presently adjourned to September 24 and October 20 and decided to withdraw them from the court as they have been overtaken by events. He, however, said that NBA-SPIDEL is responding to those filed against the executive of the association in Delta State.

Speaking further on the activities of SPIDEL, Adehi disclosed that his committee co-authored and facilitated four policy documents with the human rights community during the period under review.

He said to keep the activities of SPIDEL going, they also organised a conference that attracted over 1,680 lawyers, explaining that out of this figure, only about 600 participated virtually.