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Agbakoba criticizes presidential policy documents for lacking judicial reform

By Joseph Onyekwere
04 December 2018   |   3:32 am
The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a member of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has lamented that 2019 policy documents of the leading presidential candidates are silent on legal and judicial reform.

Olisa Agbakoba

The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and a member of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has lamented that 2019 policy documents of the leading presidential candidates are silent on legal and judicial reform.The activist, who described the legal and justice sectors in Nigeria dead expressed displeasure over the development, saying simple cases take five to 10 years to resolve.

According to him, that has massive impact on economic development.“No investor, whether local or international will invest in a country where there is no rule of law.

“Sadly, no serious attention is paid to legal and justice sector. The 2019 policy documents of leading presidential candidates are silent on Legal and Judicial Reform.

“A speed of justice strategy and innovative dispute resolution mechanisms can reverse this legal failure,” he explained.Addressing judicial editors in his Lagos office last weekend, Agbakoba announced that the CUPP had shortlisted five presidential candidates to be considered for selection as their joint opposition candidate for the 2019 election.

According to him, that was done, given that the main thrust of the coalition is to win the 2019 presidential election through a joint collaboration process.

Consequently, he disclosed that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar came out in front on the early ballot but followed by other four strong contenders.His words: “The criteria for shortlisting the five candidates was based on agreed terms by members of CUPP, included national spread and structure, experience, public office holders such as governors, national assembly, etc, financial capacity, organization strength of parties, capacity to man the 120,000 polling units across Nigeria, etc.

“Members of CUPP re-affirmed its commitment to present a joint candidate for the 2019 presidential elections and work towards establishing a government of national unity.”

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