NBA-NEC: 2023 NBA Annual General Conference To Hold In Abuja
Members of the Nigerian Bar Association National Executive Council (NBA-NEC) rose from their maiden meeting under the leadership of NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN, to hold next year’s Annual General Conference (AGC) in Abuja from August 25 to September 1, 2023. Maikyau was given anticipatory approval to constitute committees for the association, including the Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP).
The NBA-NEC also ratified that the embattled Benchers Chairman, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN should recuse himself from office.
This followed a motion to ratify Maikyau’s letter to Olanipekun asking him to recuse himself from both the recent Call to Bar ceremonies and as Chairman of the Body of Benchers.
Following a heated debate on the matter, members resolved that the demand for recusal was not a personal battle of the NBA President but an issue that affects the entire legal profession.
Meanwhile, the NBA-NEC has also ratified the nomination of the immediate past NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata as a returnee-member of the elite Body of Benchers alongside two others.
Aside adoption of various committee reports, the NBA-NEC also ratified a list of Co-opted NEC Members issued by Maikyau. The meeting also co-opted 150 lawyers as members of NEC.
Notable names among the highlighted members was the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), given that the CAC had lately been estranged from NBA activities.
Also listed was the Solicitor-General of the Federation, ICPC Chairman, DG legal aid council, Chairman of lawyers with disability among others.
The NBA-NEC also resolved that NBA should sanction all promoters of the new lawyers’ association, the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN). The former NBA General Secretary, Mr. Nimi Walson-Jack was singled out for serious lampooning.
Mr. Wale Fapohunda SAN-led Conference Incident Investigation Committee has identified some suspects whose pictures were displayed at the meeting. Meanwhile the NBA may soon publish images of those suspected to have participated in the invasion of NBA booths designated for distribution of materials at the last Annual General Conference.
Maikyau berated his erstwhile opponent at the last NBA Elections, Chief Joe-Kyari Gazama SAN for his petition to the Body of Benchers over the conduct of the recently concluded NBA Elections. Noting that Olanipekun had apologized to Gadzama at the last benchers’ meeting for not reading out his letter of complaint on the alleged infractions during the elections, Maikyau reportedly berated Gadzama for the complaint, noting that he dusted him at the poll with more than half of Gadzama’s tallied votes.
Among those who attended the meeting both in-person and online were former NBA Presidents, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN and Akpata; former NBA General Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Lawal-Rabana SAN and his counterpart, Mr. Afam Osigwe SAN as well as former Attorney-General and Minster of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo SAN.
