Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge who Chairs Panel 2 of the Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Kano, on Tuesday ruffled feathers when she announced in open court that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has been trying to bribe her.
Alerting the stunned court about the development, she disclosed that some lawyers prosecuting election matters before her, have tried to corrupt the system by offering bribes to her and her colleagues.
Although she did not disclose the identity of the senior lawyer, Justice Azinge said the Senior Advocate in question has a pending case before the tribunal.
“A Senior Advocate of Nigeria who has a pending case before me is attempting to bribe me. Money has been flying in this tribunal since yesterday. Whoever collects money on my behalf, God will punish that person and his generation yet unborn — to the fourth generation.
“They keep abusing judges, insulting us every day in the papers, in the media — that we are taking bribes.
“Let me repeat again that nobody should approach me with money again. I’m contented with what God has given me, and I have a roof over my head,” she said.
But Eyitayo Fatogun, SAN, who was present in the court for a matter, stood up on behalf of all lawyers present and urged the judge to escalate the matter to the appropriate authorities.
To reinforce his argument, the senior lawyer said he was privy to cases where judges who failed to report cases of this nature were cited for judicial misconduct.
When PUNCH contacted the Kano State Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Chairman, S. S. Gezawa, for his reaction to the allegation. He said he read the report in an online newspaper that the Chairperson of the Kano EPT, Justice Azinge alleged that some lawyers were attempting to bribe some judges.
He added that rumour had it that one of the court officials received the sum of N10 million, as a bribe.
“I’ll say, it is what it is, it is an allegation. If any member of the EPT or my Lord, the Chairperson of the panel, Justice Azinge, has any allegation or proof of evidence of such, it can be formalised, a complaint can be channelled to the NBA or to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for necessary action against the erring lawyer.”
“We should also remember that lawyers are not immune to prosecution.”
The Kano NBA leader then advised that if there is any concrete evidence against any lawyer that he erred, it should be reported to any of the Security agencies, especially the Anti-Corruption Agencies, the police, the EFCC or the ICPC, if it involves a staff or public servant.
“So long as it has not been formalised, we will see, as my lord said, it is rumours and allegations, that is what it is”, he added.
