Senate Wants Port Harcourt Law School as Centre for Continuous Legal Education

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters has advocated that the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Port Harcourt Campus of the Nigerian Law School should serve as the centre for the promotion of continuous legal education in the country.

Members of the Senate Committee made the call yesterday, during their oversight visit of the campus in Port Harcourt, with inspection tour conducted by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele said the advocacy was part of the Senate committee’s advice to the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School, adding that the Port Harcourt Law campus meets the global best standard required of such centre.

Bamidele said they were amazed at the quality of facilities that the Rivers State governor provided for the training of law graduates and to prepare them for the challenges of the profession.

He described the event as one of the happiest oversight visit that they have paid in the life of their leadership of the Senate Committee.

“It’s a celebration of our democracy. It’s a celebration of leadership. It’s a celebration of an accomplishment. So, as part of our own advice, both to the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Law School is to even, based on the standard that has been set in the Port Harcourt Campus, ensure to reserve some of the rooms, dedicated to ensuring that our continuous legal education is taken very seriously using the Port Harcourt Campus as the base for this,” he added.

Bamidele pointed out that with the facility, Wike had set global best standard, saying it was not only law students that would use the facility, but practicing lawyers alike who could undertake their CLA programme on the campus.

He stated that the eventual realisation of the campus underscored the point that when leaders are able to work together across party line and beyond political, ethnic, religious divide, they could really take Nigeria to that next desirable level.

“Governor Wike, a PDP leader, a PDP governor from the Southern part of the country made an offer. It was tabled by the Attorney General of the federation, an APC man to president Buhari of APC and without wasting time, it was approved. And today, we have seen the implication of that,” he added.

The committee members also inspected the brand-new exquisite Rivers State House of Assembly residential quarters that is near completion.

Commenting on the 32 units of four-bedroom duplexes at the legislators’ quarters, Bamidele further said Wike has also blazed a trail in the provision of unbeatable housing facility for lawmakers.

“We have been around the country by the grace of God. We have interacted with our colleague parliamentarians at the State level in different States’ Houses of Assembly. We know where they live. We know how they live and we know that they are no less committed.

“Coming here to see what we are seeing today, again, I want to say it’s a confirmation of the fact that you have as governor, a trailblazer and someone who will continue to excel in setting a global best practice standard.”

Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda, commended Wike for the projects and stressed that it necessitated the clamour for him to move to the centre to replicate some of extraordinary achievements.

The Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, said Wike’s decision to construct a new campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt is a sheer demonstration of his patriotism and commitment to the nation.

Speaking on the legislative quarters, the Speaker said the conducive residential environment created by the governor for the State lawmakers will enhance their productivity.