Veteran journalist and lawyer, Richard Akinola and Initiative to Save Democracy have faulted Femi Falana’s call that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should discipline all lawyers in the Buhari administration because of the desecration of the law courts by officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

On his Facebook page, Akinola said: “With the greatest respect to my good friend, Femi Falana (SAN), l beg to disagree with him in respect of his statement regarding the Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo on the Sowore saga.

“It’s necessary to put things in proper perspective. There is only one Presidency. By my understanding, the Vice President cannot be issuing statements on an issue, when there is a sitting President.

“Recall that when Osinbajo was acting as President and a similar incident happened at the National Assembly, he took action. The invasion of the National Assembly started at about 7 am and by 10.30 am, Lawal Daura had been fired as the DG of DSS.

“So, it would be unfair to attack the VP on this matter as he is just the VP. The buck stops at the President’s table. If the President refused to take action, he must have his reason. Ours is to speak out for him to take action,” he said.

Also, the Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD), in a press statement by its Publicity Secretary, Peter Oladele, said the lawyers in the Buhari administration have not acted in an unprofessional capacity to warrant any disciplinary action.

The group noted that it is an unrealistic expectation to require Osinbajo to respond officially on the misconduct of the DSS agents because the executive powers of the Federal Government are vested only in the person of the President and not the Vice President or the lawyers in the cabinet. 

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