From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Lawyers in their numbers who are members of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Edo State, were yesterday prevented by security operatives from entering Government House to submit their protest letter for financial autonomy for the judiciary to Governor Godwin Obaseki.
The lawyers drawn from Benin, Igarra, Auchi, Uromi and Ekpoma branches were led by NBA Chairman of Benin branch, Pius Oiwoh.
The lawyers who waited for over one hour without being attended to, later marched to Edo State Council Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, where Oiwoh told journalists that their visit to Government House was on the directive of NBA National President, Olumide Akpata.
“We went there not on a protest; we were there on the directive of NBA national leadership, but they told us that for security reasons we cannot enter Government House that all principal officers were not around.
“I do not want to believe that His Excellency directed what they did to us. However, after staying for over one hour, we decided to pull out of the place, but with a reassurance that by Monday, we will repeat the visit because that is the directive from the national leadership of the NBA that we continuously visit government houses with this letter of appeal that the Constitution should be complied with.”