Lawyers Applaud Wike Over Re-opening Of Courts

Port Harcourt based law
yers have applauded the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike over the re-opening of courts in the state.
Speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt at the weekend, a legal practitioner in the State, Barr. Uche Allen noted that the incumbent governor had fulfilled his election promise.
Barr. Allen said the appointment of the state Chief Judge, and the Customary Court of Appeal president had helped stabilize the judiciary.
He said the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria JUSUN had embarked on strike in May last year following the tussle for power between powers-that-be in the state.
Barr. Allen described the JUSUN strike as most regrettable and noted that it plunged both the lawyers and their families into a period of famine.
He said apart from lawyers, accused persons in prison custody were made to go through nightmares as they had their incarceration enlongated.
According to him, “it was a bad case for litigants who could not ventilate their grievances. As the last hope of the common man, the common eventually became hopeless. Never again will the closure of courts happen. It was traumatic as many lawyers lost their lives because of hardship,” he stated.
Also speaking, Barr. Endurance Akpelu, remarked that “weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning.” He said that the joy of lawyer had returned with the re-opening of the courts.
“It was hectic. It was unfortunate and unpalatable. Thank God it is now history. Many lawyers died as a result of the dislocation,” he stated.
Barr. Akpelu praised Governor Wike for living up to his billing and noted that he had unspeakable joy over the re-opening of the courts.
Another lawyer who spoke with The Tide on Monday, Barr. Jackson Assor, described the re-opening of the court as a moment of testimony.
“Thank God we survived it. Many lawyers gave up the ghost in the midst of unprecedented hardship. It is the grace of God. The hardship we suffered was unprecedent. We have never had it so rough but it is all over,” he stated.
Barr. Assor remarked that the courts would grapple with  a plethora of case because of more than one year of closure.
He called on the lawmakers to make a law that would foreclose the rape of our judicaiary.