Tuesday, January 23, 2024 – The Federal High Court in Abuja has given the go-ahead for the formation of a new lawyers’ association to rival the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Ruling on the case brought by some lawyers against the
Corporate Affairs Commission, (CAC) High Court Judge, Justice Gladys Olotu
ordered the CAC to approve any of the proposed names submitted by the
plaintiffs.
A few lawyers sued the CAC for failing to register their
group as a legal practitioner body in the country.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed that the names
being considered for registration as a body of attorneys are not similar to
those of the Nigerian Bar Association, which could mislead the public.
Plaintiffs proposed the following names: “Nigerian Law
Society,” “Nigerian Bar Society,” “Nigerian Lawyers’ Society,” and “Association
of Legal Practitioners of Nigeria.”
The judge ordered the CAS, “To approve for registration and
thereafter register any of the proposed names submitted to it on behalf of the
plaintiffs, being: The Nigerian Law Society,” “Nigerian Bar Society,” “Nigerian
Lawyers’ Society” and “The Association of Legal Practitioners of Nigeria” and
issue a certificate of registration to that effect.”
According to Olotu, the type of association the plaintiffs
intend to register is covered by the right to peaceful assembly and
association, which is protected by Section 40 of the Constitution, Article 10
of the ACHPR, and Article 20 of the UDHR.
To this day, the sole professional association in Nigeria
for lawyers is the Nigerian Bar Association, which was founded in 1933.
Multiple groups have repeatedly applied to register as an
attorneys’ association since the NBA was founded.
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