Rivers State High Court struck out Suit No. IHC/132/CS/2024 filed by Jude Obodo Chukwu, Esq against The Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Bar Association & Ors, challenging his disqualification to contest the Chairman of NBA Isiokpo Branch with cost of N50,000.00 against the Applicant.
Hon. Justice Opufaa Ben-Whyte noted that the Court lacked jurisdiction to decide on the subject matter in that the Nigerian Bar Association National Election Appeal Committee (East) had already decided and upheld the disqualification of the Applicant by the NBA Isiokpo Branch Election Committee from contesting for the office of the Chairman of the Branch.
The Court wondered why the Applicant who was disqualified by NBA Isiokpo Branch Election Committee and who appealed to NBA National Election Appeal Committee which equally upheld his disqualification still approached the Court even when he knew the decision of NBA National Election Appeal Committee is final going by the provision of The Uniform Bye-Laws for Branches provided in the Third Schedule of the Constitution of NBA, 2015 (as amended 2021). 
Although Rivers State High Court commenced the 2024 Annual Vacation on 22nd July 2024, Hon. Justice Opufaa Ben-Whyte of the Isiokpo Judicial Division sitting in Port Harcourt has to obtain the fiat of The Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State to deliver his judgment in the said suit on Monday 29th August 2024, the parties having adopted their processes before the commencement of the vacation.
It will be recalled that pursuant to his disqualification by NBA Isiokpo Branch Election Committee from contesting for the office of the Chairman of the Branch, Jude Obodo Chukwu, Esq appealed his disqualification to the NBA National Election Appeal Committee (East) which after a careful consideration of the appeal, found no merit in the appeal, thus upheld the disqualification.
Aggrieved by the disqualification, Jude Obodo Chukwu, Esq filed the action in Suit No. IHC/132/CS/2024 against The Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Bar Association; Cashmia Ofurum, Esq & Hycent Okwukwu, Esq. (Chairman and Secretary of NBA Isiokpo Branch); Katherine Alekiri Alete & Eric Nwanom (as Chairman and Secretary of NBA Isiokpo Branch Election Committee June 2024); Simple Dioha, Esq and Ndubuisi A. Agumagu, Esq.
Lawyers in Court, noted with dismay the deliberate refusal of the Applicant; Jude Obodo Chukwu, in all paragraphs of his affidavit and further and better affidavit to furnish the Court with the fact that he has appealed to the NBA National Election Appeal Committee (East) which appealed did not favour him.
The Court therefore struck out the Applicant’s Suit for lack jurisdiction maintaining that having voluntarily joined the Legal Profession, parties must be ready to abide by the laws governing the Association.
The Court finally awarded cost of #50,000.00 against the Applicant.
NBA Isiokpo Election: Court Awards Cost Against Jude Obodo.
