Saturday 14 April 2018

s145 Nigerian Constitution PDP Opinion PMB, APC, NBA - Matters Arising


The World opines neither PDP nor APC governs or had governed in a manner that leads the Pontiff to beatify thou by way of speaking. Having said that  PDP statement on President Buhari’s non-transmission of instrument of power to the National Assembly to enable the Vice President assume the role of acting President, the PDP position was pounded by TheCable online editorial link hereunder wherein it relied profusely on sections 145 and 146 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

Olisa Metuh Esq,. Barrister was more guided understandably a Lawyer no longer in the saddle and his  successor did not avert to sections 145 and 146 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. The Publicity Secretary does not require specialized knowledge of the law. However PDP should endeavor to appoint legal retainers to be assisting some legalistic tasks. 

They say PDP loathes to pay Lawyers but one of their Lawyers Mohammed Adoke SAN is rich that for three years the Federal Ministry of Justice was owing external lawyers Billions in fees. When the incumbent AGF Malami SAN was appointed into office he started clearing backlog of outstanding  fees gradually and still continuing till present whenever allocation is released and thereby saved those children some of whom were sent out of school for non-payment of school fees etc.  AGF Adoke and AGF Malami have hugely distinct work ethics. 

Malami is very polite to Lawyers. Adoke was always shouting from the exalted seat. Adoke  would think he was doing a lawyer a favour by paying their fees. 

Malami thinks it is the right of lawyers to earn fees for their legitimate work. Adoke  prior to his election if you wanted a letter of recommendation Adoke will write and even possibly have his clerk dispatch letters to your office with courtesy. One or two years after he assumed office of AGF became power drunk. This is Malami’s third year in office still humble, very polite to his learned colleagues. I think it’s in his character to be respectful and kind to colleagues.

When a Lawyer issues Legal Opinion he or she affixes NBA Stamp and that seals it. The Nigerian Bar Association enforces this on court documents only but why. NBA is a rich group of Lawyers. The 99 percent NBA recommended to pay an average monthly salary of a paltry N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) money paid to Nannies and Gatemen,  NBA made the recommendation we read it in Punch and seem to have stepped it down soon we took exception to it here. 

We have advised our NBA to look into encroachment on legal work. A Lagosian in Ikoyi rent is N12Million for a flat and they employ estate agents without legal training to do the lease agreement. Ditto assignments etc.  NBA needs a desk officer perhaps in Alausa Lagos Land Bureau et al to enforce NBA stamps on legal documents and get out professional fees to colleagues arising therefrom.

Unfortunately most NBA Presidents preceding Mahmoud and ABM don’t think of the custody of the future of the profession they vastly benefit from. 

Make this an NBA campaign issue 2018. Will lead for NBA teaming lawyers neglected and abused by the NBA powers that be.  Not about tweeters which even online publishers don’t broadcast. Now NBA Section on Legal Practice held in Port Harcourt this week under the auspices of my Learned Lady Mia Essien SAN and no amount of ABM tweeters pushed it out as news item but why.  Grateful though to AB Mahmoud for addressing Mr Alegeh’s wrong who had arbitrarily removed Mrs Essien in 2014. Mahmoud heroically re-instated her.  NBA-SBL is modeled on IBA so Mia Essien should answer the descript “Chair” SLP not “Chairman” please in keeping with IBA Model Ma’am and Sirs. 

There are 4 presidential hopefuls. I have ruled out any possibility of supporting one only of four and I have stated the reasons already why. Should the one I am not supporting win the election,  I will work with whoever wins though without prejudice to disclosing the presidential  candidate I’ll support in 2018 sometime.

Thank you!
C N AJIE ESQ. 





Caroline Ajie LAWA Fellow 2009-2010 Georgetown University Law Center 600 New Jersey Avenue Washington DC 20001 Email: ca338@law.georgetown.edu GSM: +2348033041206 (roamed)




QUESTION: Is PDP correct to say Buhari’s absence has created power vacuu...

On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to the UK on an official visit.

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