The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, has sharply condemned the recent conflicting court judgements surrounding the Emir of Kano’s stool, calling the situation a shame to the legal profession.
In a statement made on Wednesday, Maikyau voiced his disappointment with the actions of both counsel and judges involved in matters handled by the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court, which he feels have exposed the legal profession to public mockery and opprobrium.
The debate over the stool of the Emir of Kano has resulted in a series of inconsistent orders from several courts, causing uncertainty and creating worries about the judiciary’s credibility.
“The conduct of counsel and the courts in handling the proceedings, which culminated in the orders issued by the Federal High Court, the Kano State High Court, and again the Federal High Court, in circus, have brought utter disgrace and shame to the profession.
“The damage is one that would take the legal profession a long time to recover from. It is unfortunate and was totally uncalled for,” he said.
Maikyau further emphasised the necessity for an immediate assessment of the professional conduct of both the counsel and judges engaged in these cases.
He advocated for ethical and professional inquiry to determine any wrongdoing.
“Without prejudice to the subsisting actions before both the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court, it is my considered view that there is an urgent need to scrutinise the professional conduct of both counsel and the judges involved in these matters.
“This is to enable the relevant bodies or institutions to determine their culpability or otherwise from an ethical and professional standpoint,” he added.
The NBA President urged the respective heads of courts to investigate the judges’ actions and report their findings to the National Judicial Council for appropriate action.
“I call on the respective heads of the courts of the judges concerned to take immediate steps to look into their conduct with a view to finding any possible abuse of their judicial offices and file a report with the National Judicial Council for necessary action,” Maikyau urged.
Spaking at the lawyers involved, Maikyau assured that the NBA would not hesitate to initiate disciplinary action if any professional misconduct was found.
“The NBA will investigate the conduct of the counsel involved in these cases and shall not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against them before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, should there be any finding of alleged professional misconduct against them.
“The Chairman of the NBA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has accordingly been directed to invite these counsel for preliminary investigations,” he stated.
Maikyau stated that the NBA is committed to upholding professional standards and ensuring that Nigeria’s legal profession maintains its integrity and public trust.
Previously, a Federal High Court in Kano ordered Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II’s removal from the Kofar Kudu Palace, but a State High Court prevented the police and other security forces from carrying out the order.
On Tuesday, the Federal Court ordered the police to ensure that Aminu Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano, receives all rights and advantages due to him as the genuine Emir of Kano.
The sitting judge, Justice S. A. Amobeda, who issued the ex parte order, claimed that it was done for the sake of justice and the preservation of peace in Kano State.
