Lawyers denied entrance to Edo government House
Members of the Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bars Association, (NBA) were yesterday refused entrance to the Edo State Government House, Benin, Edo State.
The lawyers who were on a solidarity march with the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) strike over financial autonomy assembled in their hundreds as early as 8.00 am at the Lion Bar, Benin City, and marched peacefully to the Government House.
On getting to the gate of Edo state government house, they were refused entrance by security personnel on duty.
Speaking to Journalist at the NUJ Media Centre in Benin City, the Chairman of the Benin Branch of NBA, Pius Oiwoh, said the lawyers were on a mission to deliver a consolidatory letter to the governor as directed by the president of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) Olumide Akpata, who has directed that all the 36 states march in solidarity with JUSUN and deliver a consolidatory letter in support of the quest for Judiciary workers financial autonomy.
“We want to ensure that the provision of section 121, subsection 53 of the1999 constitution as amended comes to fruition. The president ofthe NBA, Olumide Akpata has directed us to stage a solidarity walk with JUSUN, who is also on a nationwide strike over the refusal of state executives to respect the independence of the judiciary, he also directed that the 36 states of NBA do a consolidation letter to the governors and based on this we went to the Edo state government house but were refused access by security men on duty. I don’t want to believe that his excellency, the Governor of Edo State directed what happened and by this, we have assured them that we will be here by next Monday.” He said.
The chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, Sir Roland Osakue commended their effort and said that NUJ is in full support of the Independence of the judiciary.
Recall that the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had gone on a nationwide strike from the 6th of April to protest what it termed
subjugating and emasculating of the judiciary and years of financial strangulation. It also resolved to hold a nationwide peaceful protest on Monday, 19 of April in furtherance of its demand for the 36 states to implement financial autonomy
