The first time I met him was in
2000 during the auctioning of the Digital Mobile Licenses (DML) by the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) then led by Dr. Ernest Ndukwe. You could not
miss him in the crowd of telecommunications industry players and lawyers, who
were milling around the Hilton Hotel, venue of the auction with his trademark bow
ties.
I watched him closely as he interacted with journalists and demonstrated
remarkable knowledge of the process. I later learnt that Usoro, a very senior
lawyer and member of the inner bar-a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the
local equivalent of a QC, drafted the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, a
robust and enduring piece of legislation that regulates the Communications
industry till date. He also drafted the Nigerian Communications (Enforcement
Process etc) Regulations, 2005 as well as the Mobile Number Portability
Regulations 2014 among several other major contributions to the Nigerian
telecommunications industry.
Aside the telecommunications
industry, Mr. Usoro and his firm, Paul Usoro & Co also made considerable
contributions to the reform and development of laws in the Maritime industry.
He has worked with both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the
areas of drafting and advocacy to see the laws and reforms through, from bills
to laws. His has been a truly remarkable story of erudition and intellection in
the practice of a profession that has given him so much and also taken so much
from him in return.
Indeed I have been following the
trajectory of progress of this brilliant Akwa Ibom State-born lawyer and
boardroom player. His firm, PUC, ranks at the top perch of law practice in
Nigeria. I’m also aware he spent over 15 years at Airtel Nigeria (formerly
Econet Wireless), where he represented Akwa Ibom State on the Board. It is
noteworthy that long after Akwa Ibom State had divested from the telco,
successive owners of the business consistently found him of significant
usefulness in directing its affairs at the topmost level. He has also served at
various times on the board of several blue chip companies including Premium
Pensions Limited, CR Services (Credit Bureau) Plc, PZ Cussons Plc, Nigerian Bulk Electric company, Marina
Securities Limited and Access Bank Plc, probably the biggest bank in Nigeria
today.
In his career as a lawyer and
boardroom player, Usoro kept a low profile, avoiding the limelight but rather
letting his track record of excellent performance speak for him. There was
literally no noise around him until he indicated his interest to run for the
coveted presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the powerful umbrella
association of legal practitioners in Nigeria. It was like he headed off a nest
of wasps and they descended on his otherwise spotless body stinging him all
over. Not only did he face fierce and sometimes very dirty opposition, the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came after him. It seemed as if
there were some hidden forces working behind the scene in concert with the EFCC
and his opponents in the NBA election to deal with him.
In spite of sundry obviously
cooked-up allegations including vote-buying, manipulation of voting materials
and e-rigging, Mr. Usoro emerged the President of the NBA to a tumultuous
acclaim. All effort to use the EFCC to stop him collapsed in the face of strong
support from the various branches of NBA nationwide and his excellent track
record both in the Association, the legal profession and in society generally.
He has been leading the NBA for about six months and the feedback is that
things are happening; good things. It is indeed a new era in NBA, many seem to
say-and I have absolutely no reason to doubt this vocal majority saying good
things about the Usoro leadership. This is not unexpected given Usoro’s
disciplined disposition, his comportment and immense experience from the
corporate world. Add to this, his expansive network of contacts and friends
within and outside the NBA, the government and the corporate world and you can
begin to visualize a glorious time ahead for the legal profession.
The EFCC’s case against Usoro is
in court and therefore subjudice, but it will be interesting to know why Mr.
Usoro is being prosecuted without a petition from anybody. The N1.3b he is
being prosecuted for, from all indications, is his legitimate earnings, some
from representing Akwa Ibom in various cases and some from acting as
coordinator of the legal team that represented Gov. Udom in the case
challenging his election in 2015. The case will come up at the Federal High
Court, Lagos on April 17th, but until then some of us are beginning to think
that this might be a witch-hunt after all because of Usoro’s astute
representation of Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, in his case against
the EFCC. It may be not more than the friend of my enemy is my enemy-and that
will be extremely dangerous for the legal profession and the fight against
corruption which President Muhammadu Buhari has laid as one of the major
anchors of his government’s policies.
I am aware that there is an
existing precedent on this matter when the same EFCC arraigned Mike Ozekhome
for receiving N75m from former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose. Also, the
case of registered. Trustees of NBA vs EFCC and CBN has shielded practitioners
from criminal liability on money laundering. So, I don’t know what this matter
of laundering Akwa Ibom State funds is all about. In actual fact, Usoro claims
the state still owes him in excess of N5b for representing it in various
matters. I truly hope the state government steps forward to clarify its stand
on this.
I am supremely confident that in
the end justice and reason will prevail and this good man will be let off the
hook by whoever is leading this furious, relentless charge to damage his good
reputation. He deserves otherwise for the good things he has done and the many
good things he is doing and others he will do for the NBA and the country as a
whole. I urge all lawyers of good conscience to join hands in condemning the
developing pattern of hounding lawyers. Today it is Usoro. There is also the
case of Mr. Ubani, who is being detained by the EFCC. Who knows who is next?
Wilberforce Ikoro Esq Is A Social Critic And Public Affairs Commentator
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