APC to petition NBA over Kenneth Okonkwo, Abure’s remarks on s’court justices

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will petition the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over the remarks of Julius Abure, national chair of the Labour Party (LP), and Kenneth Okonkwo, a spokesperson of the party.

Ajibola Basiru, APC’s national secretary, said Abure and Okonkwo made “deprecating” remarks about justices of the supreme court.

Speaking with PUNCH, Basiru said as lawyers, the LP chieftains should not be making “disparaging” remarks about justices of the supreme court.

The APC secretary said the ruling party would not allow the judicial arm of government to be brought to disrepute.

“It is true that the APC is presenting a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee against the duo of Abure and Kenneth Okonkwo,” he said.

“The duo make deprecating remarks about the justices of the supreme court and the judiciary which acts we consider a breach of their duties as legal practitioners.

“They should defend themselves accordingly rather than their party engaging in unnecessary characteristic ranting.”

Reacting to the development, Obiora Ifoh, LP spokesperson, described the petition as “persecution” against its chieftains.

“The APC scribe revealed that they have taken action by submitting a petition to the NBA for the purpose of requesting disciplinary action against Julius Abure and Kenneth Okonkwo for their comments against the Supreme Court judgment which he said was negative and unacceptable,” Ifoh said in a statement.

“The Labour Party views this action by the APC, less than three days after the Supreme Court judgmentm, as a confirmation of what we have been told on a good authority that the Labour Party leadership will be subjected to persecution, intimidation, suppression and harassment.”

The LP spokesperson said democratic Nigerians should rise up against “this ugly and unfortunate development”.

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee is a unit in the NBA where complaints about the conduct of lawyers could be lodged.