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Judiciary, Legislature Synergy, Success Story of 6th Assembly Says Onofiok ..As NBA Holds Dinner



By Mfonobong Ukpong


Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Onofiok Luke has appreciated the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA in Akwa Ibom State for partnering the 6th Assembly to deliver on it's legislative mandate to the people of the state these past four years.

 Luke whose tenure as Speaker of the House winds down in few weeks time was speaking, yesterday at the 2019 Annual Dinner of the Uyo branch of  the Nigerian Bar Association held at Emerald Events Centre, Uyo  as part of activities to mark the close of the 2019 Bar Week of NBA, Uyo branch.

The Speaker who was Chairman on the occasion, particularly hailed all the branches of NBA in the state as well as the judiciary arm of government for being part of the success story of the 6th Assembly through their inputs to every legislation enacted by the House of Assembly in the past four years under his watch as Speaker.

"I have been looking for an opportunity as i wind down my tenure as the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to say a very big thank you to the Nigeria Bar Association and all the branches of NBA in the state. I want to thank the Uyo branch. You have been a pillar of support in my years as the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

At every point in time I have had the opportunity to or duty calls when we schedule public hearings, and we send invitation to you, you have always been making inputs that would change the entirety of the legislations that we have had, and at the end of it all we have had a better output for the benefit of Akwa Ibom people. So thank you Nigerian Bar Association.

I thank you the Judiciary of the state. I want to say a very big thank you to the Chief Judge of the state, because our cooperation has brought about good things and good tidings for us. The cooperation between ourselves and the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has been able to bring financial autonomy to the state legislature and financial autonomy to the Judiciary, while we await the implementation. That is a good example of what the cooperation between the two arms of government has brought to us".

Barr. Luke who is Member-elect for Etinan Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, urged members of the legal profession not to relent in contributing their quota to nation building, and enjoined the NBA members to always speak up anytime things are not going well in the country.

"We are still looking for this partnership to be able to change things in this country. I want to urge you that we still need to stand up in this profession and challenge the way things are done. If you feel that things are not done the way it should be, stand up and challenge it"

Also speaking at the event, the State Chief Judge, Justice Godwin Abraham who described the court as the last hope of the common man, charged members of the bar and bench to always ensure that the independence of the judiciary is not undermined while administering justice in the law court and in all their dealings.


"I'm worried at the working environment judges and lawyers find themselves. It is often said that the court is the last hope of the common man. The Judge, lawyers constitutes the last hope of the every man. If that is so, then there must be strength and courage on the part of the judges and lawyers.

In my 32 years in the court, in all the decisions i have taken and judgement i have delivered, nobody has ever influenced me in any way ,nor told me what they want me to do".

Earlier, the NBA Chairman, Uyo branch, Enobong Akpan Esq, said the dinner was an opportunity for members of the bar and bench to unwind and enjoy the evening after a weeklong Bar week. The 2019 Bar Week has as it's theme: 'Balancing Power and privileges in the pursuit of Justice"


The dinner was graced by the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Barr. Onofiok Luke, Chief Judge of the state, Justice Godwin Abraham, State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, Judges, Magistrates, Members of the Nigeria Bar Association, Law students, and members of other profession.

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