Abia State High Court, Umuahia has heard the application, challenging the authenticity of the primary and secondary schools certificates presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a Federal lawmaker, representing Bende Constituency of the state, Benjamin Kalu of the All Progressive Congress (APC), which statutorily qualified him to contest the 2019 election and reserved judgment to August 23.

Insecurity, brain drain and poor economic conditions have been listed as limiting factors to the legal profession. This was disclosed at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch, Law Week held at the Muson Centre, Lagos last week. Speaking on Financial autonomy of the judiciary: Key to judicial independence or ruse, member, Panel of Conciliators of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment, Yakubu Maikyau, noted that by training, the legal profession is saddled with the responsibility to look at constitution provisions and determine what each party can do and not do and stick with the constitution. “Perhaps, the reason this conversation is ongoing is because of the present economic realities. This clamour for financial autonomy is a sincere quest? What’s the motive behind it, given the fact that we know what we ought to do?” Maikyau asked.

The government has no business doing business. The inherent obligation of the government is to regulate and ensures the business terrain reflects a fair level playing ground that is transparent enough to absorb healthy competition and innovation among industry players. It is also the duty of the state to ensure there is constant sanity in the ecosystem that sustains the value chain of economic production. Business can only be business if the utility value of the system remains sacred. The rights of Investors, consumers, and all other players in the ecosystem must be well safeguarded in building a fair level playing ground.