Disturbed by the bribery allegations rocking the ongoing Election Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano, the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association in Kano, Sagir Gezawa, on Wednesday, formally wrote a letter to the Secretary of the EPT, demanding the identities of the lawyers attempting to bribe the judges.
The Kano NBA Chairman said, “We will want My Lord to disclose all details and particulars of the lawyer in question or those lawyers that are making attempts to bribe My Lords.”
Gezawa said copies of the letter were forwarded to the National Judicial Council, the President of the Court of Appeal and the President of the Nigeria Bar Association.
He said the Kano NBA was also seeking to have a meeting with the tribunal Justices, saying the Bar was committed to the fight against corruption.
“We are willing to do our own part of the fight, so, we are awaiting My Lord’s response,” he said.
The tribunal, led by Justice Azinge, had on Tuesday, raised the alarm that some lawyers were attempting to bribe judges in order to influence their verdict.
Justice Azinge said it was the second time a judge would complain about how some lawyers prosecuting election matters before them would attempt to offer them bribes.
She stated in the open court on Tuesday that “money is flying”, adding that “it’s being rumoured that a staff collected N10m.”
“In recent years, allegations of lawyers bribing judges have cast shadows over Nigeria’s judicial system, a complex issue that is threatening to erode the public trust in the pursuit of justice.
“While it is important to acknowledge that not all lawyers engage in unethical practices, the spectre of judicial corruption remains a concerning challenge that the Nigerian legal community must confront head-on,” the judge said.
Punch