Mr. Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has expressed dissatisfaction with the manner campaigns ahead of the July, 2020 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) elections are going.

LEGALDESKNG learnt this in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), he said instead of the supporters of the aspirants to focus on issues affecting the profession, they are are rather focusing on mundane issues with false promises like conventional politicians.

“I have read many write-ups on the forthcoming NBA elections by supporters of the respective aspirants for the various posts and I must confess that not many focussed on issues affecting the legal profession and the capabilities of the respective aspirants to addressed these issues within the two years duration for the office of the president. Rather what I see and read in most cases are not too far from the mundane issues of who pays what as wages for lawyers and who has that or this connection with this or that entity.

“I see and read such things as who has capacity to spend more money on enjoyment for lawyers. I do not with respect see much difference between the deceptions practiced on us by conventional political class on Nigerian people during electioneering fake promises from what many of us are exhibiting on behalf of those we support in the forthcoming election. In fact I see us employing more deceptive tactics than conventional politicians here. I see more of debating personalities and insulting ourselves than real issues. There is total lack of decorum. In most cases I see personality quarrels than the issues confronting the legal profession.”

Okutepa went on to mention some of the things that should have been the focus of the aspirants:

“The declined ethical questions are not being addressed. The absence of the rule of law and disobedience to court orders are not being addressed. The processes of recruitment of judicial officers that seem to throw merit overboard and lobbying as tool for recruitment are not being addressed. The delayed justice in our land has not engaged the attention of anyone. Even the injustice within the Bar where year in year out we pay our practising fees and see no benefits has not been talked about. What about conferences we paid for and we get no value for our pay.”

The learned silk therefore suggested that there should be assessment of the capabilities of the candidates

“I think an agenda for discussions to assess the capabilities of these candidates be set. There must be an end to mundane issues and personalities attacks. We have not discussed and proffer solutions on how to tackle misconduct on the part of lawyers either in business or practice. Many issues affecting us as profession are not being discussed. We don’t hold those we elected accountable. We just engage ourselves in sycophantic praise singing even when those in positions are not doing well on our behalf.”

He also suggested that the electoral process of the Bar should be exemplary. Attacking others will not help anything

“As lawyers our electoral processes should show good example for others to emulate. But reverse seems to be the case. These and many others should be our focus as an agenda for those aspiring to lead us. Attacking will not help. Being attack dogs will not translate to benefits for the vast majority of Nigerian lawyers.” the learned silk concluded