IFELAW: LAW STUDENTS' REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL CLEARS AIR ON ₦5,612,310 NLCOC BUDGET

IFELAW: LAW STUDENTS' REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL CLEARS AIR ON ₦5,612,310 NLCOC BUDGET

Doyinmola Ogundokun

In an exclusively written letter to Socioscope News Agency by the In-House Committee On Public Relations of The Law Students' Representative Council to clear the air on some pertinent issues that have crop up during the course of the session especially on the just concluded National Legal Career Opportunities Conference held on Friday 29th June 2018 at the New Moot and Mock Court, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile - Ife.

The letter states that "It has come to the notice of the house that there have been some grumblings among concerned members of the society. Some persons are of the opinion that LSRC deals in frivolities. On this note, the House seeks to clear the air on some pertinent issues that have crop up during the course of this session. The concern of the LSRC is that, the sanctity of the constitution must be upheld at all times. The law must not be messed with, the constitution has set out procedures that must be followed, in administering the affairs of the Law Students Society (LSS). These letters are not mere words, they are spirit and life.

It also reiterates the power of the LSRC in upholding the sanctity of the Constitution at all times, citing in particular Section 13 of the LSS Constitution which made provision in many instances for the LSRC to call for, consider, review and pass resolutions on any activity of the Executive Council, House of Lords or any committee under the LSS.

"These provisions are provided for, not to hold the progress of the society to ransom, but to ensure that the resources of the society are properly and reasonably managed; that every activity undertaken by the Law StudentsSociety is channeled towards a purposeful end; and to also ensure that the steering wheels of the Law StudentsSociety is not subjected to a parochial few. These provisions are set out to give true democracy, and to really ensure that power truly belongs to the people. If indeed there is a problem at all, then the problem is not with the House, the problem is the constitution. It is a Fundamental principle of Law that anything that is done in law, must be done in accordance with the law.​ The Law is the Law, no matter what we think of it.

It reads "First amongst the chief issues that have roused this session is the mystery surrounding the water dispenser acquired for the Secretariat by the Executive Council. It should be noted that the Executive Council is obligated, every session to present an administrative budget for the running of the affairs of the society to the LSRC for ratification. In accordance with Section 13(5) of the LSS Constitution Included under the administrative budget, the Secretariat budget which is to be prepared and presented by the General Secretary; being the officer impressed upon by the Constitution the duty of keeping and maintaining the Secretariat.

The letter also reaffirmed that "the LSS Secretariat is not the office of the General Secretary, neither is it the office of the President, nor that of the Executive Council as a whole. The LSS secretariat belongs to every single member of the Law Students Society. Therefore, the Executive Council is not at liberty to bring in nor take anything out of the Society's Secretariat, without the approval of the society; neither is the Executive Council is permitted by the constitution to acquire any item that is not contained and ratified in the Secretariat budget for the Secretariat.

The second issue discussed in the letter was the NLCOC budget, the letter stated thus:
"Another issue that has burdened the heart on some conscious and concerned members of the society is the budget of the just concluded NATIONAL LEGAL CAREER AND OPPORTUNITY CONFERENCE.​ Fears of the society being plunged into the deep abyss of debt after the execution of the conference have been expressed from various quarters.

The House defended itself by reiterating that "the duty of the LSRC is not to cut budgets, rather the duty of the LSRC is to cut out excesses and frivolities, and to help cut the society's coat according to its cloth; not for anything else, but for the sake of posterity.

"The lump sum of ₦5,612,310  ​was approved after thorough debates and deliberations by the house, premised upon Mr President’s reasonable and practicable reasons for each and every item ratified in the conference's budget. Above all Mr. President gave the House and the entire members of the society his words, promising that the Conference will be a top notch conference, and shall ensure that the society does not incur any debt in the course of the mega program, as the Executive Council were certain that they are well able to raise the funds needed to facilitate the conference.
The last issue addressed in the letter was setting up of Specific Statutory Committees of the Society.

"it is a fundamental principle that the main essence of every government is the welfare and security of every of its citizens. This fundamental function of every government is provided for in the Preamble of the LSS constitution that the main essence of the Law Students’ Society shall be geared towards the improvement of the academic and general welfare of the Law Students’ Society… ​Reiterating this, Section 3(3)​ of the LSS Constitution also provides as part of the aims and objectives of the society; “to​ supplement our legal education by means of Seminars, Symposia, Workshop, Publication, Moot and Mock Trials, Law debates and Excursion to courts and other legal establishment​. It is in accordance with this duty, that the constitution has provided for some specific statutory committees like; the Moot and Mock Committee, the Debate Committee, the Academic Committee, the Publication Committee, and the Learning and Resources Committee ​to cater for the Academic welfare of members of the Law Students’ Society. The House wishes to bring to the notice of the members of the public at this juncture that the Executive Council is yet to present before the House for ratification the leadership of these quintessential committees, neither has any budget been presented to the House for the running of these important committees. However, we count it as one of our core fundamental duty as the Legislative arm of government to set the course of the society right and to set our priorities right.

Conclusively, the House resolved to keep and maintain stricto senso the principle of constitutionality and the principle of checks and balances, on the quadrant of Service;Transparency; Credibility; and Accountability, as such we shall not tolerate any act of conspiracy and disregard to constitutionality, neither shall lawlessness be condoned from any quarters.

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