The Kano branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has assured that it will do all it can to unravel the bribery allegation that has rocked the State Election Petition Tribunal.Chairman of the branch, Sagir Suleiman Gezawa, revealed this in an interview on Sunday, saying that the national body of the NBA has mandated the branch to handle the matter at the local level.
The Chairman of Panel 1 of the Tribunal, Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, had alleged in open court that there were attempts to bribe some judges of the Tribunal. She however did not expose the alleged bribe giver.
Lawyers in the state, especially the senior practicing counsel and, most especially Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), have expressed displeasure over the allegation, saying it was a dent on their integrity.
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To compound the issue, while Justice Azinge has remained mute after raising the false alarm, accusing fingers have been wrongly pointed at innocent SANs, including those who do not have a case before the controversial judge.
‘’The matter was even discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the NBA at the national level.
The NBA Chairman however said the matter has not been rested yet, as the Kano branch would need to deliberate on it in its monthly congress meeting to hold on the 11th of September, 2023.
He said the letter he wrote to the Tribunal to demand details of the lawyer involved in the bribery attempt “was the first swift response we adopted to the issue, but a more elaborate, decisive and carefully thought-out response will be arrived at after the congress. We will communicate this to all members and the general public.
