The NBA members said the lingering strike by the judicial workers in the state has adversely affected the welfare and economy of lawyers in the state, arguing that there cannot be a true democracy without an impartial and independent judiciary.
Members of the Benin branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Tuesday, matched through some major streets in Benin City, protesting the three-month old strike of the Edo State judicial workers.
The lawyers are demanding the immediate resignation of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the permanent secretary and solicitor general of the state.
They are also calling for the resignation of all lawyers appointed to political positions in the state for failing to properly advice the state governor to comply with the rule of law.
The NBA members said the lingering strike by the judicial workers in the state has adversely affected the welfare and economy of lawyers in the state, arguing that there cannot be a true democracy without an impartial and independent judiciary.
Addressing journalists at the Edo State NUJ Secretariat in Benin City, the state chairman of the branch, Patience Iyomon, said the need to comply with the constitutional provision granting, financial autonomy to the judicial arm of government, cannot be undermined.
The Benin NBA, according to her, condemns the continued refusal of the Edo State Government to comply with the court judgment reaffirming the constitutional provision granting financial autonomy to the judicial arm government.
According to her, the continued refusal of the governor to comply with the order of the court and meet the judicial workers’ demand and the threat to sack them even without meeting their demand is a violation of the international labor organization’s convention of which Nigeria is a signatory.