Afam Osigwe, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has attributed the political crisis in Rivers State to the ego clashes among key political actors in the state.
Osigwe made this remark while responding to questions at a press conference organized by the association on Wednesday in Abuja, ahead of the annual conference of the NBA Section on Legal Practice (NBA-SLP).
According to him, “The crisis in Rivers State is driven by the ego of key political actors who refuse to come together to find a solution that serves the interests of the people.
“Pointing fingers at the Supreme Court or any other body will not resolve the issue,” he added.
“ If the actors had placed Rivers above their interests and cared about the security and welfare of the people, we would not be where we are.
“It became an ego fight and an issue of who wins. So, ego is at the base of the problem in Rivers and not the Supreme Court.
“People get judgments from the court and still decide to go for an amicable solution, so it is not the judgment of the SupremeCourtt but the principal actors that are to be blamed,’’ Osigwe said.
He added that while the NBA was not in a legal argument with the president, the association was of the view that some of the actions taken may not be supported by the constitution.
The NBA maintains that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution must be interpreted in conjunction with Section 11, rather than in isolation.
It also noted that despite incidents of violence and greater breakdowns of law and order in several states across Nigeria, no state of emergency was declared in those cases.
In his words, “We are of the view that the problem in Rivers can be solved by the principal actors swallowing their egos and putting the welfare and security of the people of Rivers above their interests.
“This declaration may not solve the problem in Rivers and it worries me that an administrator can be appointed and worse still a retired military officer to administer the state.
“It is unconstitutional and should not be supported because we may be setting a dangerous precedent,’’ Osigwe said.
Paul Ogbole, Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee (SAN), announced that the theme for the 2025 NBA-SLP Conference is “Uncommon Challenges in a Rapidly Changing Legal Environment.”
He explained that the conference aims to examine emerging challenges in the legal sector, including the impact of global interconnectedness on legal systems and the rising demand for specialized legal services.
Additionally, the event will explore opportunities for legal practitioners, such as advancements in legal technology, the expansion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and the growing emphasis on access to justice and legal empowerment.
