Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has accused some senior lawyers and judges in the country of corruption.
He alleged that the lawyers help politicians and public officials in stealing the country’s commonwealth by defending them or handling their electoral cases.
Jega stated this on Wednesday in Ibadan at an event organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Branch, as one of the events to mark its 2021 Law Week.
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The former INEC boss said some of the senior lawyers have become rich by helping the corrupt politicians and public officers escape prosecution.
According to Jega, most of the judges in the country have corruptly enriched themselves and have been involved in corrupt practices.
He said: “Some senior lawyers have become stupendously wealthy defending corrupt public officials or handling electoral litigation for governorship and presidential candidates.
“Similarly, many judges have become notorious for corrupt enrichment for ‘cash and carry’ judgments, especially in election matters generally and in election tribunals, more specifically.”
Jega accused the judges of selling judgments to the highest bidders, saying that their actions undermine the development and security in the country.
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“Some election tribunal appointments were in the past widely said to have been made to senior judges about to retire, who allegedly ‘sold’ judgments, most likely to the highest bidders, enriched themselves and quickly retired to avoid being sanctioned by the National Judicial Council.
“When lawyers use technicalities to subvert justice and ‘win’ cases without regard to the perpetration of injustices, they basically help to undermine, rather than enhance national development, peaceful coexistence and security.
“They discard ethical and professional conduct, and put parochial and/or self-serving objectives in the forefront of their practices,” he added.
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