The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the recurrence of contradictory court orders, saying it portends a threat to democracy.

In a statement by its President Olumide Akpata, the association said it would come down hard on lawyers who contribute to the ridiculing of the profession.

The statement reads in part: “Astonishingly, that commitment is now being threatened by the conduct of some of our members, the majority of whom are senior members of the Bar, who continue to yield themselves to be used as willing tools by politicians to wantonly abuse the judicial process.

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“To say the least, there is, in the NBA’s view, prima facie evidence of the breach of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2007 (“RPC”), made pursuant to the Legal Practitioners Act, by the lawyers responsible for the unrelenting embarrassment of our Judiciary in political matters.

“Rule 1 of the RPC which requires a lawyer to uphold and observe the rule of law, promote and foster the cause of justice, maintain a high standard of professional conduct, and not engage in any conduct which is unbecoming of a legal practitioner is being violated in these cases.

“By the issuance of this statement, the NBA confirms unequivocally that it will not stand by and watch a ridiculing of the profession and the justice administration system by a handful of its members and will be considering its deterrence options in this regard. The Bench, respectfully, is also not blameless. “

The NBA said it would seek an audience with the Chief Justice of Nigeria to address the issue holistically.