Justice Flora Azinge, presiding over the Kano State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, has taken a strong stance against the troubling trend of attempted bribery within the legal system.
In a recent courtroom session, Justice Azinge openly discussed her dismay at the actions of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who attempted to influence her judgement by offering her a bribe.
Although she didn’t reveal the SAN’s identity she revealed he has a pending case before her tribunal.l
She said, “A Senior Advocate of Nigeria who has a pending case before me is attempting to bribe me. Money has been flying in this tribunal since yesterday. Whoever collects money on my behalf, God will punish that person and his generation yet unborn — to the fourth generation.
“They keep abusing judges, insulting us everyday in the papers, in the media — that we are taking bribe.
“Let me repeat again that nobody should approach me with money again. I’m contented with what God has given me, and I have a roof over my head,” she said.
In a significant turn of events, during the courtroom session, Eyitayo Fatogun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who happened to be present, rose to represent the collective voice of all lawyers in the room.
He strongly encouraged Justice Azinge to take the matter further by bringing it to the attention of the appropriate authorities. Fatogun substantiated his plea by referencing instances in which judges who neglected to report similar cases of impropriety were reprimanded for engaging in judicial misconduct.