African Bar Association To Honour Nigeria’s Former President, Two Governors

By Ayodele Oni

Three prominent Nigerians have been nominated for the award of the African Bar Association, (AFBA) during its annual conference coming up later this month in Niger Republic.

They are former President, Dr Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state and his Rivers state counterpart, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.

Both Governors Tambuwal and Wike are Life Members of the AfBA.

The event is billed to hold in Niamey. Former Presidents of Niger Republic, Muhammadou Issoufou, Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma and Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are among nominees to be decorated.

Other nominees of the medal are: the Chairman of BUA Group of Companies, Abdussamad Isyaku Rabiu and first Tamil-Indian female appointed as a Judge of the High Court of South Africa in 1995, Justice Navanethem Pillay,.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Media to the Governor, Mohammed Bello, stated that the President of AfBA, Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, disclosed this when he visited Governor Tambuwal in Sokoto.

The visitor was taken round to inspect some ongoing and completed projects in Sokoto by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Suleiman Usman (SAN).

According to Mr Uwaifo, AfBA, which wants its members in the government to excel, is really proud of Governor Tambuwal, who has executed many developmental projects in his state.

Along with members of his entourage, the AfBA President  inspected the ultra modern Diagnostic Center at Farfaru, the state High Court complex renovated by the incumbent administration, the 950-bed Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital (SOSUTH) under construction and the Girls Science Academy also under construction.

In his remarks, Mr Uwaifo said “I think the Federal Government and its agencies have to learn from Sokoto state government.

“We must not do substandard project and we must not play politics in executing projects and we must face the divident of democracy.”