RESIGN, IF YOU CANNOT RUN THE CHAMBER - Nta Bassey Duke (Former Advocate General, Advocacy Chambers)

RESIGN, IF YOU CANNOT RUN THE CHAMBERS - Nta Bassey Duke

15/11/2016

By Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine

The former Advocate General of Advocacy International Chambers Barr. Nta Bassey Duke has made his position known on the controversy rocking the Chambers in recent times.

Speaking exclusively to REVOLUTIONARY YOUTHS, Nta cautioned that it will be wiser to float another Chambers in lieu of changing the name of Advocacy Chambers. He insisted that Advocacy Chambers is a household name within the Faculty and was floated in line with the dreams of the founding fathers.

He said "I am very much displeased about the news of some members and ex-officio of the Chambers attempting to alter the name of the Chambers

"Need I remind them that Advocacy international Chambers is a household name in the Faculty of Law university of Uyo



"This is a Chambers that has produced best graduating students and plethora of LAWSAN Presidents. It has also produced lecturers in the Faculty in person of Dr. Etefia Ekanem, Barr. Mary Udofia, Barr. Ekokoi Solomon, Mrs Mfon Jonah. I wonder if these persons have been consulted before this making this suicidal move.

When asked what he think might have led to the sudden decision of the current Executives to alter the legal character of the chambers, Nta said

"Greed is the only logical explanation for this

"Advocacy international chamber is a chamber that is run like a church. We do not only depend on God to provide source, we also source for funds

"When I was the AG of the chamber, I sourced for funds to host dinner, my predecessors all hosted dinners and they sourced for fund without selling the Chambers

"Any AG who is not capable of running the chamber should resign and save us the embarrassment of altering the name of the chamber. He added.

Also commenting on the issue is Barr. Gregory Daniel, who REVOLUTIONARY YOUTHS contacted on phone. Barr. Greg, a one time member of the Chambers Said he was not aware of the move and he is not in any way in support of the plan to alter the character of the Chambers.

UNIUYO NEWS: Student Union Senate To Embark On Constituency Projects - Senate President

UNIUYO NEWS: Student Union Senate To Embark On Constituency Projects - Senate Senate President

14/11/2016

By Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine

Mbetobong Udoh

The Senate President of the Student Union, Mbetobong Udoh made this known during a media chat with REVOLUTIONARY YOUTHS on Friday, 11 November 2016.

The Rt. Hon. Member, representing Faculty of Environmental Science in the second inaugurated Senate spoke of his incursion into politics within the University, insisting it was a call to serve.

He said "I was not interested in anything politics because of the strong religious background I come from. However, my view started changing in my second semester year one. At that time, someone aspired to be the SUG President in my Faculty and another aspired to be the Sec. Gen but lost to Kenneth Anyang of Law.

"Though I was not actively involved, but I saw the need to lend my voice into politic

"I saw politics as going beyond occupying offices but as a call for service, I saw it as a selfless action for the good of that little world you belong" he added.

The speaker said he is combining academics and politics effortlessly and sheer determination is what is responsible for his good grades. "I have made up my mind since inception to make good academic standing, I can remember once when my lecturer asked me what I came to school to do, is it politics or learning, I told him that I came for both, I have been balancing these two things squarely and I am not found wanting."

Speaking, the Speaker hurled rays on the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive. He prayed for good working relationship between the two and insisted that the Legislature is not an inferior arm to the Executive.

He however, acknowledge that lack of synergy between the two arms can cause fracas. "Legislature is supposed to be a watchdog over Executive excesses. This will not always bring fracas where there is a synergy between the two arms. How do you achieve this? You make sure there is information channels where either arms is not taken unaware in terms of policies and goals" he said

He insisted that the Legislative arm of Government will embark on Constituency projects under his leadership and for the first time,the senate will embark on constituency briefing via information vox pop.

"This will give the students the opportunity to air their views for the senators to work on. It will make every student to have that sense of belonging to the Student Union

"It is our Union" he concluded.

ADVOCACY CHAMBER, NOT FOR SALE!

BUSTED: ADVOCACY CHAMBERS, FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF UYO, NOT FOR SALE

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