EBF Issues Guidelines For Election 2023

GUIDELINES AND TIME TABLE FOR 2023 GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTION

Following the constitution and inauguration of the Eastern Bar Forum Election Committee at the General Meeting of the Forum held on March 25, 2023 at Uyo, Akwaibom State and in pursuance of the terms of reference of the Electoral Committee, we hereby present the following guidelines as provided by “The Constitution Of The Eastern Bar Forum” 2015 as Amended and Adopted on the 18th day of July 2020 and, time table for the 2023 Eastern Bar Forum Elections:
1. The positions to be contested for as provided by the Constitution of the EBF in Article 4(3) includes:
1. The Chairman
2. Vice Chairman
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Financial Secretary
6. Welfare Secretary
7. Publicity Secretary
8. Legal Adviser
9. Assistant Secretary

2. There shall not be two (2) Officers from one state in the Governing Council. See Article 4(4).
3. The Forum is divided into two (2) blocs for the purpose of elections of members of the Governing Council.
The position of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are to rotate among the two blocs. The Offices of Chairman and Treasurer shall further rotate jointly to one bloc while the Offices of Vice Chairman and Secretary shall rotate jointly to the other bloc. See Art. 5(1-3).
4. The two (2) blocs are: Bloc ‘A’ comprising; Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, Enugu State and Imo State and Bloc ‘B’ comprising of Akwa-Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Cross River State and Rivers State. See Art. 5(4).
5. A candidate contesting for any of the offices mentioned above must be a duly registered member of the Forum and must have attained the post enrolment qualification as at the date of the election into the affected office as follows:
a) Chairman, Vice Chairman – fifteen (15) years.
b) Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser – ten (10) years.
c) Publicity Secretary, Welfare Secretary – eight (8) years.
d) Assistant Secretary – five (5) years.
6. Candidate must be a financial member of the Forum and shall have paid his or her Practicing fee, All EBF dues, Branch dues and levies on or before 31st Day of March in each of the Three (3) years preceding the election year (See Article 6(3), EBF CONSTITUTION).
7. Candidate must have attended a minimum of Three (3) quarterly meetings of the Forum within eighteen (18) months from the day of the last election prior to call for nomination.
8. Candidate must be validly nominated/sponsored in writing by two (2) members who are as qualified as the aspirant and, such sponsors shall not nominate/sponsor more than one candidate for the purpose of this election.
9. Nominations (Sale of forms) will be open on 6th day of May, 2023 and close on 6th day of June, 2023 at 6pm prompt. Screening of candidates shall commence from 6th of June, 2023 to the 30th day of June, 2023.

**•Uba Anene Esq.outgoing EBF Governor General**

10. A member shall not be qualified to hold Governing Council Member Office of EBF if during the electioneering campaigns:
a. There is evidence that he/she is sponsored by or has received any financial assistance or inducement from any government of the state, federation or members, organization or corporate bodies or if the candidates underwrites a registration expenses of members.
b. He or she is associated with sponsoring a newspaper, magazine, and article or any electronic broadcast vilifying other candidates or extolling a candidate’s virtues.
11. Candidates may print handbills and leaflets which may contain their dossiers, manifestos and photographs. Posters, banners and billboards are NOT allowed.
12. The provision of money, incentives and recreation is forbidden and shall lead to disqualification of such candidate if so adjudged by the committee.
13. There may be visits or tour of law offices by candidates for campaign purposes, whether by use of agent or surrogates. Derogatory and offensive text messages shall not be allowed.
14. To be eligible to vote in the Governing Council election, see Article 7(1) (a-k). See also Article 7(2)(3)(4) which provides as follows:
a) The person must be a duly registered member of the Forum, must be financially up to date and must have paid all his/her dues and levies on or before 31st March of the election year.
b) The member must have attended at least two (2) quarterly meetings of the Forum within eighteen (18) months prior to the election meeting.
c) The member’s name must appear in the final list of eligible voters as compiled by the Election Committee and published not later than ten (10) days before the election.
15. Those so qualified to vote and be voted for shall have their names published on the day of the election at the venue for verification.
16. Accreditation of voters will take place from 12 noon to 1:30pm on the Election Day.
17. Voting exercise starts from 1:30pm to 2:30pm on same day and venue of the election, the result will be declared so soon thereafter, the winners maybe sworn in same day and venue.
18. Candidate(s) shall stand disqualified before, during and after the election if it is discovered that such candidate procures, hires or engages person(s) whose conduct in the opinion of the Electoral Committee amount to general misconduct or thuggery.
19. The Electoral Committee guidelines as published by the NBA-EBF Eleco 2023 at the EBF WhatsApp group page shall be transmitted to all Branch Chairmen of NBA-EBF Branches for posting in their various NBA Branch group pages/Secretariats and any other conspicuous place on or before the election date.
20. Presentation of manifesto shall hold on the Election Day by 10.am to 11.am same venue.
21. Campaign opens from the 16th Day of May 2023 to 12 midnight preceding the day of the election and must be conducted in decent and orderly manner; no candidate shall be allowed to campaign on the day of Election and no candidate shall be permitted to attack the person or character of his/her opponent in his/her campaign.
22. Candidate must in the cause of electioneering uphold the discipline, tradition, integrity, credibility, ethics, aims and objectives of the legal profession.
23. Election date and venue shall be communicated to members in due time.
24. ALL FORMS SHALL BE COLLECTED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ELECO CHAIRMAN (08033427947).
25. The following nomination fees shall be paid for the nomination forms:
i. Chairman – N30,000.00
ii. Vice Chairman – N25,000.00
iii. Secretary – N25,000.00
iv. Other offices – N20,000.00
All payment for nomination forms shall be made to the Secretary of the Election Committee i.e. EJIE OKEKE CHIMARAOKE
AC. NO. 3063985198 – FIRST BANK
v. The candidate upon payment of the prescribed fee shall forward his/her evidence of payment to the Chairman of the Election Committee via Whatsapp through 08033427947.
vi. Upon receipt of the evidence of payment as above, the committee shall email or Whatsapp number provided by the candidate forward the nomination forms to the respective candidates.
vii. The nomination forms shall be returned to the Chairman of the committee on or before 6pm on the 6th day of June, 2023.
DATED THIS 2nd DAY OF May,2023