Lawmakers Demand To Be Conferred With SAN Title

Legislators who are lawyers by profession in the Senate, House of Representatives and other legislative houses in the country have demanded to be conferred with the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The prestigious title is usually conferred on lawyers who have distinguished themselves in the profession and have practiced for at least ten years.

The legislators claimed they worked harder than judicial officers adding that regular lawyers and other legal practitioners were not better qualified for the rank than the legislators.

The members pressed for the recognition during the inaugural meeting of “The Forum of Lawyers in the Nigerian Legislature”, held at the National Assembly in Abuja.

Convener of the forum, Senator Ita Enang said since the lawyers in the legislature participated in passing all the laws used for legal practice in the country, they were qualified for the rank of SAN.


Enang, said that it was an “insult” to say somebody who made a law was not qualified to become a SAN, while another person who practised it could become one.

 “It is an insult not to make legislature lawyers SANs.

“They make laws that the magistrate interprets and makes his way to the Supreme Court. Yet, you say that a lawmaker is not qualified to be honoured with the rank of SAN.

“The legislator is not qualified but the lawyer who practices the law passed by the legislature is qualified.

“Legislative practice is an arm of legal practice and should be recognised as such.

“It is the legislature and the legislator that know the laws more than the practitioners because they draft the laws.

“All the laws that practitioners practise and they are celebrated and honoured are passed by the legislature, but you say that same legislator is not qualified to be a SAN.”

Source: The Punch

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