How to protect judiciary from abuse – Adoke, Fashola

By Tony Edike

ENUGU—LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, at the weekend in Enugu stressed the need for high ethical conduct and decency in legal profession as way to protect the judiciary from abuse.

The duo spoke at the 4th re-union gathering of Class 88 of the Nigerian Law School, held at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu.

Fashola, who chaired the occasion, explained that reforms and ethics in the legal profession meant one thing, which is to comply to law and order.

He charged Attorney Generals to go beyond being advocates of the state, adding that they should get involved in criminal prosecutions, to avoid charges that ridicule the judiciary.

The governor said: “Attorney-Generals should rise up and protect the judiciary. They should not only be advocates of the state government. They should get involved I criminal prosecution. They should contribute in enthroning decency in the legal profession.

“Look at those charges that ridicule the judiciary. We say we have 70 count charges. How many witnesses will you need? How long will the case last? Talking about reforms and ethics means one thing. To comply with law and order.”

Delivering a lecture with the theme “Ethics and Discipline at the Bar: Repositioning the Legal Profession in Nigeria,” Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Adoke noted that the distinctive mark of a profession is its willingness and ability to regulate the conduct and behavior of its members.

According to him, laws, rules and ethics circumscribe behavior, and professional ethics at the bar, regulates and creates behavioral relationship between lawyer and the courts and his client.