Abia State governor, Alex Otti, has drawn the attention of former and incumbent governors of the five South-East states to make positive contributions towards fixing the decaying Law School campus in Enugu.
Reports said that Otti has requested the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Emeka Ngige (SAN), to formally write to the governors of the region on the urgent need to rebuild and upgrade the Enugu campus of the Nigerian Law School.
Governor Otti also expressed his readiness to collaborate with his counterparts across the zone to give the campus a comprehensive facelift.
Otti made this known during a meeting of the South East Law Development Initiative (SELDI) held at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha.
Responding to concerns raised at the meeting, Governor Otti stated that upon receipt of the formal communication, he would personally engage other South-East governors to pursue a collective intervention aimed at addressing the inadequate infrastructure and deteriorating facilities at the institution.
The governor was reacting to an appeal by Chief Ngige (SAN), who also serves as Chairman of the Council of Legal Education. Chief Ngige drew attention to the deplorable condition of the existing facilities at the Enugu campus and called for urgent support.
In his response, Governor Otti advised Chief Ngige to formally write to the Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and copy him, assuring that he would use the platform to mobilize regional support for the rehabilitation of the campus.
Otti further highlighted that his administration is currently developing what is projected to become one of the best law faculties in Nigeria at Abia State University.
While commending legal practitioners for their critical role as the “last hope of the common man,” the governor urged members of the legal profession to actively participate in politics.
He emphasized that governance should not be left solely in the hands of individuals who depend entirely on politics for their livelihood.
The governor, who briefly stopped by the meeting on his way to attend the wedding reception of his younger sister, expressed appreciation for the contributions of lawyers to society.
“Thank you for what you do for our people. Anyhow you look at it, without the gentlemen of the Bar – and, of course, the Bench – the hope of the common man would be lost,” he said.
“We may not have gotten everything right, but the fact that when someone is oppressed, treated unfairly, or feels their rights have been violated, there is somewhere to turn to – that is what sustains hope.”
Speaking further on political participation, Governor Otti urged professionals across the South-East— – ncluding those from Imo State, Enugu State, and Anambra states – to take a more active role in governance.
“Because we have labeled politicians in a certain way, many of us stayed away. But the decisions they make affect every aspect of our lives,” he added.
Quoting the Greek philosopher Plato, the governor noted that one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is being governed by less competent individuals, stressing that such a situation undermines the right to complain about poor leadership.
“We need people who have alternative means of livelihood—people who do not depend on politics to survive—to get involved in governance,” he said.
Governor Otti also expressed gratitude to the senior lawyers for their commendation of his administration’s achievements.
He noted that although his government inherited a challenging situation upon assumption of office, his focus remains on transforming the state and driving sustainable progress.
Earlier in his remarks, Chief Ngige thanked the governor for attending the meeting despite his tight schedule.
He explained that SELDI comprises Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from the South-East, established to advance the legal profession in the region and provide advisory support when needed.
Members of the group commended Governor Otti for his visible infrastructural strides, noting that they had personally observed significant improvements across
They also pledged to provide pro bono legal services in support of the state government.
The Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna (SAN) was among the senior legal practitioners present at the meeting.
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