The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have been accused by retired judge Justice Taiwo Taiwo of failing to handle petitions against influential attorneys.
Making the claim on Channels TV’s Law Weekly program on Saturday, January 11, 2025, Taiwo explained that heavens won’t fall if the NBA starts treating petitions filed against senior and powerful lawyers.
“We have seen cases involving very senior lawyers, and petitions are written; the thing will not see the light of the day.
“The NBA must rise up to the occasion to make sure that lawyers, no matter who, the heavens will not fall. Let us open the backside of the ostrich or the turkey and let people see what A or B are doing. If it’s a disservice to the legal profession, the NBA must say something about it,” Taiwo said.
He added, “It’s a matter of rubbing each other back; it’s a matter of one cannot offend so and so. Why can’t one offend so and so?
“If the person is going to rubbish your profession, you must be able to tell the person what you are doing is wrong.”
The retired judge blamed the issue of conflicting judgements in the Nigerian judicial system on a lack of synergy and communication among judges, believing that there should be a situation where judgements are circulated all over.
He stressed that the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee is not effective.
