Godwin Tsa Abuja
Northern lawyers from the various state chapters of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Wednesday declared support for the parent organization.
The lawyers who were led by forty Chairmen of the various branches in the North to a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, distanced themselves from the splitter group “New NBA” declared their support to the leadership of the NBA, under its president, Mr. Olumide Akpata (SAN).
Some aggrieved lawyers of northern extraction had formed the ‘New NBA,’ following the recent controversy that trailed the withdrawal of an invite to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, as a guest speaker at the association’s conference.
The breakaway group, in a statement by two lawyers, Nuhu Ibrahim (Convener 1) and Abdulbasit Suleiman (Convener 2), explained that the formation of the ‘New NBA’ was aimed at protecting their interests as enshrined under Section 40 of the constitution.
But speaking at a stakeholders meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the northern lawyers disassociated themselves from the splitter group.
Speaking earlier at the meeting, president of the NBA, Mr. Akpata declared that the NBA “remains one, United and indivisible association.
According to Akpata, “At the NBA, we remain one, United and oindivisible. We have not split along religion and ethnic lines. We disagree and agree as lawyers. We will learn from past mistakes and make necessary corrections because those who refused to learn from past mistakes are doom.
“With due apologies to those who are offended we are going to address all issues amicably. As lawyers, we will not be involved in anything that will break up our country. Where our country is going wrong, we as lawyers will give the light. We are here to build Nigeria and not to destroy it. All is well at the NBA. If there are still anyone that is aggrieved, we will reached out. We remain focus because expectations are high. We in the NBA we speak louder to support the teaming people of this country on issues affecting them. Forty Chairmen from Northern zone are here. They have spoken with one voice that our association is not pluralize.
In a Communique at the end of the meeting, the lawyers declared their firm support for the NBA.
The Communique which was read by Yakubu Kurah (SAN) stated, “we the undersigned individuals, who are Chairmen of the various branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) that make up the Northern Geopolitical Zone as defined in the NBA Constitution 2015, and other senior members of the Bar have today Wednesday 2nd September 2020 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, met with the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata and the National Officers of the NBA. We have unanimously agreed to support his leadership of the NBA, and we hereby restate our true allegiance to the NBA and disassociate ourselves from the “New NBA” or any splitter group whatsoever making the waves in recent weeks as a new association/body of lawyers in Nigeria.
We understand that the NBA has historically and in recent times been fraught with several challenges but we are indeed assured that the NBA under the leadership of Mr. Olumide Akpata will surmount these challenges and birth an all-inclusive Bar that will work for all Lawyers in Nigeria regardless of any part of the divide one may belong.
We were gratified to hear the NBA President during his inaugural address restate that the Bar that he wants to lead henceforth is one that is united on all fronts and which recognises that our diversity is our greatest strength. At the meeting today, Mr. Akpata reassured us that his administration is very keen on ensuring that we not have only a united Bar but also an indivisible one, and we verily believe in him.
We therefore urge all lawyers not only of the Northern Geopolitical Zone, including those behind the establishment of the NNBA but indeed all legal practitioners in Nigeria to please come together to support Mr. Olumide Akpata and the new national officers to ensure that they deliver on all their core mandates whilst indeed putting the rule of law, the welfare and capacity development of our members at the fore front.
We thank the NBA President, Mr Olumide Akpata and all the national officers of the NBA for having this meeting with us as one of their first official acts after their inauguration last Friday, which is only indicative of the value they place on the need for an all-inclusive Bar and we wish them a very successful tenure and also reassure Mr President of our total support for his administration and pledge our allegiance to the NBA at large.