NewsRescue
The ongoing crises bedeviling Nigeria’s Vice president being apparently persecuted by the cabal at the presidency has exposed that Attorney Femi Falana has a conflict of interest in defending human right cases of Nigerian citizens as he is a retained lawyer to the members of Nigeria’s presidency.
In a recent letter to Vanguard newspaper over allegations allegedly made by former APC deputy PRO Timi Frank, Femi Falana SAN said:
“We are solicitors to Professor Yemi Osinbanjo SAN, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “our client”) on whose behalf and instructions we write this letter.”
This damning revelation puts the lives and cases of Omoyele Sowore, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and wife Zeenat and other figures being defended by the attorney in jeopardy.
Conflict of Interest
Conflicts of interests mean that it is impossible for the attorney to seek maximal judgments in favor of his private clients and seeking maximal compensation for damages promptly and appropriately becomes impossible as the lawyer also represents the people in the presidency and would not want to disgrace them.
Falana being a lawyer for the Buhari presidency is similar to Rudy Giuliani who is attorney for Donald Trump. No client will use Rudy Giuliani to sue the Trump administration. Typically lawyers reject taking up cases when there is such drastic conflict of interest.
It was previously observed that attorney Falana did not conduct a thorough battle in the interest of Sheikh Zakzaky and against the Nigerian government when they stood in contempt of court and did not comply to the rulings of the court.
Currently it does not appear that in representing SaharaReporters publisher Omoyele Sowore, Attorney Falana has counter sued the Federal republic of Nigeria including his clients in the presidency for damages to the person and reputation of Sowore.
As an attorney for both sides, Falana is seen approaching cases in lukewarm fashion, gently pursuing freedom for his clients without embarrassing the Nigerian government who he is paid generously as a consultant of.
With the new revelations one can look back and imagine how many of the many controversial decisions of the Buhari government including the globally criticized firing of Chief Justice Onnoghen, that were advised by Attorney Femi Falana.
