EFCC vs Yahaya Bello: Root out ‘fake’ lawyers – Okai urges NBA

The 2023 People Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency, Usman Okai, on Saturday called on the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, to root out fake lawyers who undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system with their deceitful practices.

Okai said fake lawyers are everywhere, holding baseless press conferences to defend embattled former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

On Friday in Abuja, some lawyers led by one Emmanuel Agada accused the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, of disregarding valid court orders and breaching the constitutional rights of Nigerians.

Agada said: “As young lawyers, we envisage a judiciary where justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done. It is in our patriotic quest to always pursue ventures that guarantee an independent judiciary that dispenses justice without fear nor favour that we formed this civil society of lawyers.”

Reacting to the development, Okai said the NBA must launch a thorough investigation into the duplicitous practices of the concerned lawyers, whose conduct he said tarnishes the reputation of the legal profession.

According to Okai: “The National Judicial Council, NJC, also bears the responsibility of cleansing our legal system of individuals who treat it as nothing more than a marketplace.

“In the realm of law, the term “lawyer” has been reduced to a mere facade, devoid of any substantial practice or ethical integrity.

“These so-called legal practitioners are nothing more than mercenaries for hire, prostituting their services to the highest bidder without a second thought to justice or morality.