- As Nigerians query Her Lordship’s invocation of God’s wrath rather than the wrath of law on corrupt lawyers
By Lillian Okenwa
Although a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Eyitayo Fatogun, SAN, who was reportedly present in the court for a matter when Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, Chair of Panel 2, Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Kano, on Tuesday, allegedly announced in open court that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has been trying to bribe her, stood up on behalf of all lawyers present and urged that she escalated the matter to the appropriate authorities, Her Lordship has denied saying there was an attempt by a Senior Lawyer to bribe her.
PUNCH had reported that alerting a stunned court about the bribery attempt, Justice Azinge revealed that some lawyers prosecuting election matters before her have tried to corrupt the system by offering bribes to her and her colleagues.
PUNCH also reported that while encouraging Justice Azinge to report the bribe-bearing SAN to the relevant authorities, Fatogun, SAN said he was privy to cases where judges who failed to report cases of this nature were cited for judicial misconduct.
But in a trending publication by politicsdigest.ng, when Sunusi Musa, SAN, a counsel in an election matter before Justice Azinge drew Her Lordship’s attention to the bribery allegation, she denied making it.
Musa SAN to Justice Azinge: “My Lord, a news was all over the media that a senior lawyer with case before you was attempting to bribe you. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria with a case before this Honorable Tribunal, I deem it necessary to urge my Lord to name the SAN.
“We are five Senior Advocates with cases before My Lord, for clarification and the interest of our reputation, My Lord should identify this lawyer”.
In her response, Justice Azinge told Musa that she was misunderstood.
“I didn’t say that Counsel. What I said was that there is allegation that money is transferred to the account of orderly of one of us and a tribunal staff by a lawyer. The said staff is currently under investigation on this matter.
“A lawyer has attempted to bring meat for me during Eid El Kabir celebration which I declined and cautioned him that it is unethical.
“I’m here to serve with integrity and patriotism and will not give way for corrupt practice. Justice is what I’m here for,” she said
When the news broke about Justice Azinge alleging that an SAN attempted to bribe her and other judges, even as she invoked God’s wrath on anyone who collects bribe money on her behalf, many were unimpressed.
Brand Communicator, Calixthus Okoruwa said: “When some legislators sought bribe from Femi Otedola some years ago, he did not ask for the ‘wrath of God’ to descend on the fellows. Instead, he got evidence and indicted them. They promptly faced the wrath of the Law. And Femi Otedola is a layman.
“So why is a ‘Learned’ judge now waiting on the ‘wrath of God’?
“Why is a ‘Learned’ judge now pleading ‘her case’ before the court of public opinion?
“What a tragic paradox Nigeria has become!
“The people who tried to bribe her, are possibly ghosts without names!”
Ex-Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, asked: “Why bring God’s Holy Mame into this mess when we have the Police and the Court and the Prison and several Laws and payment of fines and debarment and Reprimand and all to deal with this?
“Why did we even set up a Tribunal to deal with Election Petitions when there is God?
“Could God, The Great Judge, not have judged it?
“Mtchew!! We are where we are…”
Likewise, Gender Activist, Olufunke Baruwa said: “No, not God’s wrath but the law. She should report them all to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. This religiosity in public office is annoying, particularly coming from those who should know better!”
