The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) over insulting remarks allegedly made against a judicial officer by lawyer Kalu Kalu.
Kalu allegedly made the remarks during the November 11, 2026 edition of Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye.
Conveying the action in a statement on Friday, NBA President, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, said she watched a recording of the programme after her attention was drawn to the remarks.
She condemned the use of such language, saying : “A lawyer’s disagreement with a judicial decision, however strongly held, cannot excuse personal abuse of the judge who delivered it. Neither the intensity of a political controversy nor the platform on which a lawyer speaks relieves that lawyer of professional responsibility.”
She said lawyers have every right to examine judgments and challenge their reasoning.
She stated:”Indeed, rigorous criticism contributes to the development of the law and the administration of justice. Judges are accountable for their exercise of judicial power, and the NBA will continue to insist on that accountability.”
She maintained that personal insults do not help.
She said: “Personal insults do nothing to establish that a judgment is wrong. They offer the public no legal analysis and provide no remedy for an aggrieved litigant. Instead, they diminish the quality of public debate and bring our profession into disrepute.”
She mentioned the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, 2023, which require lawyers to treat courts with respect, dignity and honour.
“These obligations cannot be put aside when a lawyer steps into a television studio. Our professional standing gives our words particular weight.
“Members of the public are entitled to expect that a lawyer discussing a judgment will help them understand the issues, the reasoning and the available remedies.”
Badejo-Okusanya said she has forwarded a formal petition, together with the relevant broadcast material, to the LPDC.
“Mr. Kalu Kalu will be entitled to respond. Whether professional misconduct has occurred and what sanction, if any, is appropriate will be matters for the Committee to determine.
“Respect for due process does not, however, require the NBA to remain silent about language that falls below the standards we expect of our members.
“The Bar must be able to demand accountability from the Bench and insist on discipline within its own ranks. Our credibility depends on our willingness.”