Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo on Thursday advised members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) against long adjournment in corruption cases.
Oshiomhole gave the advice when he declared open the NBA National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Benin.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had renewed his vigour to ensure that corrupt public officeholders in the country were prosecuted.
He said this was to ensure that corruption was nipped in the bud, but added that the success of the fight could not be achieved without the judiciary.
The governor said the NBA had important roles to play in fighting corruption, and appealed to lawyers to stop asking for long adjournments and dismiss those who patronise them.
Oshiomhole commended the leadership of NBA, and said the association had demonstrated that it could not be induced when it mattered.
He noted that during the most challenging times of the country, the NBA stood on the side of the people.
He said that there was no doubt that the quality of political system impact on the environment, but the NBA had remained apolitical and political without been partisan.
On the forthcoming governorship elections in Ondo and Edo, Oshiomhole urged the NBA members to adhere to the rules of justice and fairness without technicalities.
He said that judiciary been the last hope of the masses and could only get the masses confidence, if they gave justice instead of judgment.
Oshiomhole said that the state government had taken step to also reform the judicial system in the state by abolishing customary courts without denying litigants access to justice.
Earlier, NBA President, Mr Augustine Aleghe (SAN), said that the association had in June conducted 79 branch elections successfully without problems.
Aleghe explained that the NEC meeting was an avenue to discuss matters key to the growth of the nation as well as matters of national Interest.
He said that the NBA was interested in what was going on in the country, and appealed to his members to play by the rules in forth coming Edo and Ondo governorship elections.
The NBA president also condemned pipeline destruction by the Niger Delta Avengers, especially at a time when oil prices had fallen in the global market. (NAN)