It is a known fact that the issue of the leadership of Unity Bar
Nigerian Bar Association Abuja Branch is not yet over, the issues
have been subjected to adjudication by the courts and interlocutory
orders has been given for the parties to maintain the RES. There is
still this palable fear that there will be an attempt to over reach
the courts by discussing the matters at the AGM 2017 in flagrant
disregard of court orders hence this write up by an interested
party.
NBA, ABUJA (UNITY BAR) LEADERSHIP:
Lets Speak the Truth to Power
The attention of the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association
has been drawn to the call to an article titled LAGOS 2017 AGM, A
Panacea to NBA ABUJA Crisis wherein the writer alluding that the
forthcoming 2017 AGM remains the best opportunity to legally settle
this Leadership tussle as using the said AGM to overrule 2016 AGM
and affirm the resolution of ABA NEC and slate a date for the
conduct of fresh elections in Unity Bar. The writer in a freudian
slip admitted that a caretaker structure (sic) acting chairman has
no place in the NBA Constitution and amounts to nothing in the face
of the pending restraining court orders.
Once again as lawyers, as guardians of public trust and the rule
of law, we are faced with the choice of crass disregard of the rule
of law by desecrating the tenets of the legal profession and all
that it holds so dear or to do what is right and best for the
profession as traditionally the Bar is known to speak for and
protect the judiciary.
As we are well aware, the efforts to resolve the leadership
issues in the NBA Abuja Branch have led to decisions and
counter-decisions taken by the NEC and the AGM of the NBA within
and outside the ambit of the constitution of the Nigerian Bar
Association. Even threats of disciplinary committee sanctions for
daring to ventilate issues before the courts rent the air as means
of muzzling the parties rights have been championed in certain
quarters. After the resolutions made at the NEC meeting held at
Aba, on March 2, 2017, the matter went again before the High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory wherein an interlocutory
injunction was granted on the 29th day of June, 2017 (see attached
court orders). The Order specifically restrained the NBA Caretaker
committee headed by Caleb Dajan (1st Vice President of the NBA)
from conducting any elections or putting into effect the
resolutions made at the said ABA NEC meeting. Furthermore, there is
a pending motion in the same court restraining the AGM from
meddling into the issues which the court is already seized of.
However in an apparent flagrant disregard of the judicial
process, a purported appointment of an acting Chairman and acting
Secretary respectively was carried out by the NBA President. This
action is capable of totally undermining the sanctity of both the
legal profession and the judicial process. It should be noted that
the issue of persons holding offices in acting capacity or
caretaker committees embodied by non-members of the branch is
unknown to both the NBA Constitution or the Uniform Bye-Laws. The
relevant questions begging for answers are:
1. Why there is so much effort to make nonsense of the judicial
process and turn the NBA into a laughing stock?
2. In the light of the interlocutory injunction granted by the
FCT High Court, can the worthy and learned leaders of the Bar sit
in deliberation on issues that are currently being ventilated in a
court of law, especially as the NBA has entered into appearance and
joined issues?
It is our humble submission that this august body does the right
thing by preserving the sanctity of the judicial process as the
issue of the leadership of the NBA Abuja Branch should not be
subject of any discussion at either the pre-Conference NEC or the
Annual General Meeting if the NBA must continue to be respected as
a body that promotes and upholds the rule of law. This is the only
way to stem the growing reputation of the NBA as one that has no
regards for the judicial process.
God bless you as you make the right choice.
It is a known fact that the issue of the leadership of Unity Bar
Nigerian Bar Association Abuja Branch is not yet over, the issues
have been subjected to adjudication by the courts and interlocutory
orders has been given for the parties to maintain the RES. There is
still this palable fear that there will be an attempt to over reach
the courts by discussing the matters at the AGM 2017 in flagrant
disregard of court orders hence this write up by an interested
party.
NBA, ABUJA (UNITY BAR) LEADERSHIP:
Lets Speak the Truth to Power
The attention of the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association
has been drawn to the call to an article titled LAGOS 2017 AGM, A
Panacea to NBA ABUJA Crisis wherein the writer alluding that the
forthcoming 2017 AGM remains the best opportunity to legally settle
this Leadership tussle as using the said AGM to overrule 2016 AGM
and affirm the resolution of ABA NEC and slate a date for the
conduct of fresh elections in Unity Bar. The writer in a freudian
slip admitted that a caretaker structure (sic) acting chairman has
no place in the NBA Constitution and amounts to nothing in the face
of the pending restraining court orders.
Once again as lawyers, as guardians of public trust and the rule
of law, we are faced with the choice of crass disregard of the rule
of law by desecrating the tenets of the legal profession and all
that it holds so dear or to do what is right and best for the
profession as traditionally the Bar is known to speak for and
protect the judiciary.
As we are well aware, the efforts to resolve the leadership
issues in the NBA Abuja Branch have led to decisions and
counter-decisions taken by the NEC and the AGM of the NBA within
and outside the ambit of the constitution of the Nigerian Bar
Association. Even threats of disciplinary committee sanctions for
daring to ventilate issues before the courts rent the air as means
of muzzling the parties rights have been championed in certain
quarters. After the resolutions made at the NEC meeting held at
Aba, on March 2, 2017, the matter went again before the High Court
of the Federal Capital Territory wherein an interlocutory
injunction was granted on the 29th day of June, 2017 (see attached
court orders). The Order specifically restrained the NBA Caretaker
committee headed by Caleb Dajan (1st Vice President of the NBA)
from conducting any elections or putting into effect the
resolutions made at the said ABA NEC meeting. Furthermore, there is
a pending motion in the same court restraining the AGM from
meddling into the issues which the court is already seized of.
However in an apparent flagrant disregard of the judicial
process, a purported appointment of an acting Chairman and acting
Secretary respectively was carried out by the NBA President. This
action is capable of totally undermining the sanctity of both the
legal profession and the judicial process. It should be noted that
the issue of persons holding offices in acting capacity or
caretaker committees embodied by non-members of the branch is
unknown to both the NBA Constitution or the Uniform Bye-Laws. The
relevant questions begging for answers are:
1. Why there is so much effort to make nonsense of the judicial
process and turn the NBA into a laughing stock?
2. In the light of the interlocutory injunction granted by the
FCT High Court, can the worthy and learned leaders of the Bar sit
in deliberation on issues that are currently being ventilated in a
court of law, especially as the NBA has entered into appearance and
joined issues?
It is our humble submission that this august body does the right
thing by preserving the sanctity of the judicial process as the
issue of the leadership of the NBA Abuja Branch should not be
subject of any discussion at either the pre-Conference NEC or the
Annual General Meeting if the NBA must continue to be respected as
a body that promotes and upholds the rule of law. This is the only
way to stem the growing reputation of the NBA as one that has no
regards for the judicial process.
God bless you as you make the right choice.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/lets-speak-the-truth-to-power/