A Senior Advocate of Nigeria Godwin Obla Odumu has decried the incidence of conflicting judgements in the justice sector.

Obla spoke while delivering a Keynote Address at the 2026 Gabriel Adikwu Annual Lecture which held in Yola, Adamawa State.

He stated that the spectre of conflicting judgements was a threat to the rule of law and access to justice, and urged the need for judicial precedence to tackle the menace.

Obla warned that unless the judiciary is able to hold itself accountable through judicial precedence, it would be unable to hold political actors to account, adding that the judicial system and lawyers generally “are failing in their role as moral compass of the society.”

On his part, another keynoter and Chairman of the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference Planning Committee, Mr. Abdul Mohammed Rafindadi SAN challenged lawyers to rise in defence of citizens’ rights.

He noted that certain incidences happening today would not have taken place in the days of fiery human rights activist, Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, without being challenged, urging lawyers to rise to counter human rights abuse “that is eroding the confidence of citizens in the system.”

While Obla spoke to the sub-theme, “Promoting leadership accountability the role of lawyers: Challenges and the way forward,” Muhammed addressed the sub-theme, “Promoting citizens’ rights: The role of lawyers; challenges and the way forward.”

The eagerly awaited Annual Lecture was well attended by jurists and justice sector stakeholders from across the country, including AIG Auwal Mohammed Musa of the Nigeria Police Force Zone 3 Command, Yola; NBA presidential candidate, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya SAN and her General Secretary counterpart, Mr. Afam Okeke.

The Gabriel Adikwu Annual Lecture is reputed as the largest single gathering of Lawyers in North East Nigeria. This year, the Annual Lecture was held in honour of a retired Justice of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, Justice Ali Andeyangtso.

CITY LAWYER recalls that the Annual Lecture is accredited by the Nigerian Bar Association Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NBA- ICLE), and was held at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court Hall, High Court Justice Complex, Jimeta, Yola.

This year’s Annual Lecture had Justice Dr. Frederick Oho, Presiding Judge of Court of Appeal, Yola Division, as Chairman of the Occasion. While the Chief Judge of Adamawa State High Court, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman was the Chief Host for the Annual Lecture, Adamawa State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Afraimu Jingi was the Special Guest of Honour. Retired Chief Judge of the Adamawa State High Court, Justice Nathan Musa held sway as the Royal Father of the Day.

The theme for the Annual Lecture, which is fast becoming a permanent feature in the calendar of Nigerian lawyers, was “Promoting Citizens Rights and Leadership Accountability: The Role of Lawyers.”

The convener and Principal Attorney at the law office of Gabriel Adikwu & Co., Mr. Gabriel Adikwu, told CITY LAWYER that this year’s lecture provided a platform for networking among lawyers while fashioning a blueprint to tackle conflicting judgements and human rights abuse in Nigeria.

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