WHEN THE LEADERSHIP AND OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF EBONYI LAWYERS SPOKE
Given the flurry of contrived press releases aimed at distorting the facts of the overwhelming adoption of DASAN by the three Branches of NBA in Ebonyi State, it has become necessary to reiterate the resolution of that joint meeting which was made after an exhaustive deliberation. This is essentially because when falsehood is allowed to fester, it will likely bear a resemblance of truth in any human mind.
Like Glenda Jackson, I have never believed you make your case stronger by bad-mouthing your opposition.
I have read with utter disappointment the path of ignominy now toed by a negligible but vociferous minority of our colleagues in the Akpata Campaign Team in Ebonyi State. Some of them have since resorted to name-calling and open hostility.
The Resolution at the joint meeting of the three branches held on Friday, 17/7/2020 has further exacerbated and embittered them to the point of making disparaging remarks and unfounded allegations against the elders and leaders of the Ebonyi Bar. Some resorted to contrived News articles to mask their lack of sportsmanship.
Admitted, they have the carte blanche to vote their choice. Like Albert Einstein said, ‘it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction’. Minority view is not outlawed. And I commend them for holding tenaciously with the minority view, after all, we are friends before, during and after election.
However, it should not be an avenue to cast aspersions on the elders of the Ebonyi Bar with a view to misrepresenting the resolution reached at the widely publicized joint Meeting of the Bar Branches in Ebonyi State. An overwhelming majority of the lawyers in that joint Meeting saw best reasons with and adopted the motion that based on track record of achievment, wealth of experience and on ground of equity, DASAN trumps all other candidates for the position of President of NBA in the forthcoming election, my friends on the other side are now uncomfortable.
As a result, the Akpata Team seeing the handwriting on the wall started making plans to misinform the general on the decision of the Bar Branches in Ebonyi State through Mr. Petrus Elechi who circulated a WhatsApp Message aimed at preempting the overwhelming resolution reached at the Meeting. Now that it failed, they have resorted to Press Releases offering varied accounts of what happened at the Meeting but the clear agenda of distorting the fact of the overwhelming resolution in favour of DASAN is a constant.
The beauty of democracy is that the voice of those in majority and those in minority are heard. The majority has communicated their position by adopting Deacon Julius Oladele Adesina (SAN), it behooves on the minority to also express their inclination but same must adhere to the bounden duty to do so decorously, responsibly and respectfully.
It was Arthur Schopenhauer who said, ‘all truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.’ My friends on the other side haven failed the first stage and are now at the second stage, I await the third stage that will reveal the villains and heroes of the Friday, 17/7 /2020 joint Meeting.
I bear in mind the words of Constance Friday that ‘ resistance is a sign that shows you’re going the right way ‘.
© C. K. EZE, ESQ, AICMC
Assistant Secretary
Onueke Branch
