The NBA must once again be the fearless conscience of this democracy

The Nigerian Bar Association is not merely a professional body that advocates for lawyers. It is, by the nature of the profession it represents and the historical role it has played in Nigerian life, the institutional conscience of the democracy. Its members are Officers of the Court. When courts are undermined, when judicial appointments are politicised, when security agencies harass lawyers in the execution of their professional duties, the Association is expected to speak clearly, promptly, and without equivocation.

In recent times, that voice has been inconsistent. There have been moments of admirable clarity. There have also been moments when the position of the Bar was unclear, delayed, or absent at precisely the junctures when its authority was most needed.

An LOA presidency will restore that voice with clarity and institutional consistency.

We will maintain a zero-tolerance posture on disobedience of lawful court orders and will not hesitate to exhaust every legal mechanism available to protect, defend, and uphold the rule of law in Nigeria. The position of the Bar will be stated promptly and publicly on every matter of judicial integrity, democratic governance, and constitutional adherence. Nobody will be in doubt about where the Bar stands.

We will advocate forcefully for competitive remuneration for judicial officers, whose financial vulnerability in the current economic environment creates the conditions in which corruption takes root and judicial independence is eroded. We will champion transparent, merit-based processes for the appointment of judges and justices, free from the political interference that has in recent years compromised public confidence in the Bench.

We will strengthen the NBA Human Rights Institute and establish clear protocols for every member on how to respond when security agencies abuse or harass lawyers in the performance of their professional obligations. We will establish a Lawyers' Defence Fund to provide practical financial and legal support to members who become victims of human rights violations.

The NBA Law Reform Commission will be adequately resourced to serve as the Association's active interface with the National Assembly, representing the Bar at public hearings, organising training for legislators on the legal implications of proposed legislation, and working systematically to identify and update obsolete statutes.

The NBA must once again be the fearless conscience of this democracy. Not occasionally. Consistently. That is what officers of the court owe the society that depends on them.

Vote LOA. 18 July 2026.

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