It has come to the notice of some concerned persons in the Faculty of Law, University of Uyo that effort is in top gear to sell Advocacy Chambers Int'l to a politician in the state. The development as reported is not unconnected to the upcoming LAWSAN Presidential Election. The auctioning of the Chamber is said to be used as a consideration for the success of two aspirants who incidentally are also members of the Chambers and at the time of fielding this report, the two aspirants are hell bent on dispensing with the Chambers in order to have the means to campaign and be elected the LAWSAN President. One will ask, "is that not a sure evidence of ineptitude on the part of the aspirants? How are we sure LAWSAN too will not be sold?"
What baffles sensible LAWSANites is the apparent lack of their knowledge of the procedural law of LAWSAN. Heck, need I remind the Chambers' auctioneers that in LAWSAN, things must adhere to procedural laws? Do I need to inform them for the umpteenth time that it is so very impossible to sale, lease, mortgage or change the character of any Chamber without recourse to the LAWSAN constitution?
This is not the first time in the history of LAWSAN that some external Oligarchs attempted to thwart our constitution in a bid to further their selfish reasons. In 2013, the LAWSAN House of Representative had rejected the creation of a new Chamber which was to be tagged "Godswill Akpabio Chambers" because it did not follow the laid down procedure of law, and as such, the efforts of the proponent of that idea became null and void and of no effect whatsoever. A perpetual injunction had also been obtained against the act and it is still running and it will run in perpetuity except the law vacates it.
Section 54 of the LAWSAN Constitution expressly laid down the procedure through which the alteration of any Chambers can be done. It provides thus:
(1) There shall be for LAWSAN the following Chambers;
(a) Ime Umanah Chambers
(b) Magna Juris Confraternity
(c) Advocacy International Chambers
(d) Udo Udoma Chambers
(2) The number of Chambers RECOGNIZED by this Constitution may be by law enacted by the LAWSAN House of Assembly be increased or decreased.
The above statutory provisions goes to consolidate the fact that, No Chambers existing in the Faculty of Law can change its character without first. setting the necessary machinery of the LAWSAN House of Assembly in motion, and which incidentally will also lead to the amendment of the LAWSAN Constitution.
I expected that the proponent of Advocacy Chambers auctioning should have had recourse to the LAWSAN constitution before they embark on this effortless, futile and rub-a-dub styled wanton suicidal processes of undermining the supremacy of the LAWSAN constitution. I am not sure that Emaediong Akpan, the then indefatigable Advocate General of Advocacy International who administered the Chambers in her days with creative ideas is aware of this development. I am skeptical of how the past Advocate General would feel should the information of the Chambers auctioning is put to them. If they are aware and still feign ignorance in order to play the devil's advocate, too bad.
It is noteworthy that Advocacy Chambers had survived over the years without any encumbrances and has produced prominent LAWSAN Presidents and Lecturers, among whom were, Dr. Etefia Ekanem and Comrade Edidiong Peter. The question is "Why the sudden auctioning?"
It is instructive for all LAWSANites to note that, it is not wrong to change a Chambers name, but such a chamber must undergo the legal process of doing so. On this note, I advise the current Advocate General, who is also the the President of LAWSAN Bar Association,that if at all, the alleged intention to change the Chambers name is true, he should behave as a Senior Advocate of LAWSAN, approach the House of Assembly, set the legislative machinery in motion for the amendment of the LAWSAN constitution as enshrined in section 1-7, if it sails through, then, the House is bound to amend the appropriate Section in order to insert the new name for the purpose of recognition as enshrined by Section 54.
However, anything short of what the Constitution says shall be resisted within the bounds of the law.
Paapa Akpan.
Const. IV.
Legal Consultant
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