Election period across NBA, brings out both the worst and best in Lawyers but since 2018, it has brought out consistently the worst in lawyers that the reasonable man on street is still wondering, if these are lawyers and members of the noble profession.
While still trying to purge myself of association with looters in NBA Abuja’s election, NBA Jos is fighting hard to overshadow NBA Abuja.
A candidate who spoke to me on condition that his name, will not be mentioned, says that the Electoral Committee of NBA Jos, in clear violation of Sec of the NBA Bye Law, is watering down the conditions to be eligible to contest and also to vote.
Section 14: Elections.
1. To be eligible to stand for election into an office, a member shall:
(a) Be validly nominated in writing by two members who are eligible to vote herein and who must themselves be qualified for the particular office as provided for in these Bye Laws;
(b) Have attended a minimum of five (5) monthly meetings of the Brunch within the twelve (12) months prior to the close of nominations for the election.”
Section 15. Eligibility to Vote;
1. To be eligible to vote, a member shall be a financial member of the Branch and shall have paid his/her bar practicing fees and annual branch dues, as and when due, for the two (2) years preceding the election or since enrolment, …and shall have attended a minimum of five (5) monthly general meetings of the Branch within the twelve (12) months preceding the date of the election.”
According to our sources, NBA Jos Electoral Committee, wants to allow only 3 attendance meetings for voters to be eligible to vote, while 5 meeting attendances for candidates.
In order to protect one of the candidates for the office of Secretary, who made only 4 attendances, the Electoral Committee wants to clear all candidates without further scrutinizing their documents. In some cases, we were told, those who signed the nomination form, are not those who submitted letters nominating the candidate(s)
The Electoral Committee is aware of these fundamental irregularities but is still going ahead with the arrogant disposition that “after election on 24th June, losers and aggrieved supporters, should go to NBA Appeal Committee for Northern Branches.
We are raising this alarm, so that the entire NBA, the Civil Society Community, Nigerians, litigants will be aware and save NBA Jos from crisis, since Olumide Akpata, the NBA President keeps saying he doesn’t know what is happening in NBA branches and Committees under his watch.
