Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has given reasons why he cannot contest the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Falana said he has decided to stay away from contesting because of the huge amount of money that goes into the campaign.

Falana said this on Friday at a symposium organized by members of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers in Lagos.

He revealed that four contestants spent a combined N1.2bn in the race for the association’s leadership in 2014.

While responding to a question by the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, Muiz Banire (SAN), on why Falana had failed to contest the presidency of the NBA, Falana said, “The four contestants spent a combined N1.2bn. One of the candidates for the NBA Presidency spent N700m; I don’t have that kind of money to contest for professional association office.”

“Why would I suspend my practice for two years and spend a large amount of money to serve my colleagues?”

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, while speaking also said the worst criminals in Nigeria are in the judiciary.

The EFCC boss said this while presenting his paper titled ‘This is our chance’.

He said, “The biggest form of corruption is not the ones you find in government offices or banks; it is not the ones that is plaguing the oil industry or pension administration. The biggest, most virulent form of corruption that ever existed is the one that has eaten deep into the fabric of the temple of Justice.

“It is to you who minister in the temple of justice that we all run to -high or low, mighty or weak, lawmakers, law breakers and law enforcers. It is to the courts that we all run, for protection.

“However, we are all witnesses to the abuse of skills, knowledge, powers, position and privileges by a few rogue elements, who, whilst being a tiny fraction, have an outsized influence on the direction of the Nigerian judiciary and indeed, the Nigerian nation.’’

He stated that the Commission had always operated strictly within the ambit of the law, contrary to beliefs that it has immense powers.

Azeez