*Over Legal Practitioners Act amendment
In a landmark presentation before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, the President of the Nigerian Law Society (NLS), Chief Mela Audu Nunghe, SAN, yesterday called for the adoption of a pluralistic national bar association model in the proposed amendment to the Legal Practitioners Act.
Appearing at a crucial public hearing in Abuja, Chief Nunghe presented a robust historical and constitutional argument, urging the Committee to embrace an inclusive framework for the legal profession’s national representation. This position was detailed in the Society’s formal Memoranda submitted to the Committee.
The proposed Bill seeks to repeal and re-enact the Legal Practitioners Act, CAP L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004—a move that has generated considerable debate within the legal community. The NLS’s explicit advocacy for a pluralistic structure marks a pivotal contribution to this national dialogue, challenging the existing monolithic model.
The Senate Committee is expected to carefully consider this and other submissions as it deliberates on the Bill’s final provisions. The outcome of this legislative process is eagerly awaited by legal practitioners and stakeholders nationwide, as it will fundamentally reshape the governance of the legal profession in Nigeria.
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