Port Harcourt – Mr Augustine Alegeh, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Sunday pledged the association’s support to the Federal Government`s fight against corruption.
Alegeh disclosed this at the opening of the Association`s 56th annual conference in Port Harcourt with the
theme of the conference is “Democracy and Economic Development”.
Alegeh said the Association had zero tolerance for corruption in all its activities and recognized that the country was ravaged by the cankerworm of corruption.
“ Permit me on behalf of our association to restate our commitment, as a group, as a body and as lawyers to zero tolerance for corruption in all that we do.
“ We stand with government in the fight against corruption . We recognize that our country is stagnated by the cankerworm of corruption,” he said.
Alegeh, however, said that the war against corruption should be fought and won within the ambits of the law and that any attempt to do it with short-cut methods would fail.
He said the Association would partner with all government agencies and bodies in the fight against corruption.
“ We offer legal services free of charge if you are willing to fight corruption in accordance with the law. We remain ready, able and willing to join in that fight,” he said.
The President said that the legal community was scandalized and embarrassed by the state of conflicting judgments on similar matters in the courts.
“ We call on the National Judicial Council and the Chief Justice of the Federation to look into the matter as quickly as possible because it was a shame and embarrassment to lawyers,” he stated.
In a message, Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said his administration`s focus was on education.
“ The core objective of our administration in Sokoto state is to turn around for the better, the fortunes of our youths and get them better educated,” he said.
He said his administration had taken a decision to stop street begging in the state through the payment of stipends to indigent people.
