NBA Abeokuta Electoral Committee Clears Abolade For Chairmanship Position, Despite Not Paying Full Branch Dues

Chaos seems to be brewing in NBA Abeokuta over its forthcoming
election as it is not unknown that NBA Abeokuta Branch Election
which ought to have taken place since last year June has suffered
series of postponements due to all kinds of intrigues, including an
objection recently raised against one of the chairmanship aspirant,
Kamil Abolade.

The branch has scheduled its election for June 30, 2021.

A source told Nairalaw that Mr. Akintola an aspirant for
the office of Chairman earlier raised an objection to the
eligibility of Mr. Abolade to contest against him based on the fact
that he failed to pay his 2019 Local dues as and when due by paying
the sum of N20,000 instead of the N25,000 that he was supposed to
pay as a lawyer of 25 yrs post-call.

Section 15 (4) of the Uniformed Bye-Law provides
that:

“To be eligible to stand for election into an office, a
member must:

Be a financial member of the Branch and shall have paid
his/her bar practicing fees and annual branch dues as and when due
for at least the three (3) years preceding the election”

Section 4 (1) (c) of the NBA Constitution also provides as
follows:

“A failure or neglect to pay the Annual Practicing Fees and
Branch Dues, as and when due, shall be deemed to be an act of
professional misconduct.”

According to the source, Mr. Kamil Abolade did not deny the fact
that he paid less than he ought to have paid but his defence is
that the Branch has waived the balance of N5,000 since they have
never asked him for it and that Mr. Akintola is only a busy body
since the balance in question belongs to the Branch and not Mr.
Akintola.

The source also information TheNigerialawyer(TNL), that the
Electoral Committee eventually ruled in favour of Abolade

“The Electoral Committee chaired by Prince Peter Adesemowo a
very senior lawyer of close to 50yrs post call have curiously
agreed with Mr. Abolade’s submission (contrary to the extant
provisions of the NBA Uniform Bye-Law for Branches which clearly
disqualified Mr. Abolade) and went ahead to dismiss Mr. Akintola’s
objection and cleared Mr. Abolade to contest the election.

“The Electoral Committee is now being accused of playing double
standards by members of the Abeokuta Bar especially having hitherto
disqualified many aspirants for paying their dues later than March
31st even when they made full payment.

“They argue that if the Electoral Committee claiming to follow
the constitution strictly can disqualify members who fully paid
their dues but merely paid late, then there is no justification for
sparing someone who has evidently defrauded the Branch by paying
less than he should have paid.

“They also wonder that at what meeting of the branch did the
branch members choose to ‘waive’ the balance of N5,000 owed by Mr.
Abolade to warrant the conclusion by the Electoral Committee that
the same was waived.

“It is also rumoured that Mr. Abolade is the Electoral Committee
Chairman’s candidate. This may explain their decision to rule in
his favour contrary to law.” he said

Furthermore, the source said some members have also vowed that
if Mr. Abolade’s clearance is allowed to stand, they will all start
paying whatever they feel like paying as branch due and then wait
to see that Committee that will disqualify them when they choose to
contest at future elections.

According to him, Mr. Akintola has reportedly written a petition
to the NBA National Office to complain about the Electoral
Committee’s decision and that the issue is expected to be discussed
at the NBA NEC meeting holding in Abuja later in the week.

As at the time of filing this report efforts to reach both
parties were unsuccessful.

Chaos seems to be brewing in NBA Abeokuta over its forthcoming
election as it is not unknown that NBA Abeokuta Branch Election
which ought to have taken place since last year June has suffered
series of postponements due to all kinds of intrigues, including an
objection recently raised against one of the chairmanship aspirant,
Kamil Abolade.

The branch has scheduled its election for June 30, 2021.

A source told Nairalaw that Mr. Akintola an aspirant for
the office of Chairman earlier raised an objection to the
eligibility of Mr. Abolade to contest against him based on the fact
that he failed to pay his 2019 Local dues as and when due by paying
the sum of N20,000 instead of the N25,000 that he was supposed to
pay as a lawyer of 25 yrs post-call.

Section 15 (4) of the Uniformed Bye-Law provides
that:

“To be eligible to stand for election into an office, a
member must:

Be a financial member of the Branch and shall have paid
his/her bar practicing fees and annual branch dues as and when due
for at least the three (3) years preceding the election”

Section 4 (1) (c) of the NBA Constitution also provides as
follows:

“A failure or neglect to pay the Annual Practicing Fees and
Branch Dues, as and when due, shall be deemed to be an act of
professional misconduct.”

According to the source, Mr. Kamil Abolade did not deny the fact
that he paid less than he ought to have paid but his defence is
that the Branch has waived the balance of N5,000 since they have
never asked him for it and that Mr. Akintola is only a busy body
since the balance in question belongs to the Branch and not Mr.
Akintola.

The source also information TheNigerialawyer(TNL), that the
Electoral Committee eventually ruled in favour of Abolade

“The Electoral Committee chaired by Prince Peter Adesemowo a
very senior lawyer of close to 50yrs post call have curiously
agreed with Mr. Abolade’s submission (contrary to the extant
provisions of the NBA Uniform Bye-Law for Branches which clearly
disqualified Mr. Abolade) and went ahead to dismiss Mr. Akintola’s
objection and cleared Mr. Abolade to contest the election.

“The Electoral Committee is now being accused of playing double
standards by members of the Abeokuta Bar especially having hitherto
disqualified many aspirants for paying their dues later than March
31st even when they made full payment.

“They argue that if the Electoral Committee claiming to follow
the constitution strictly can disqualify members who fully paid
their dues but merely paid late, then there is no justification for
sparing someone who has evidently defrauded the Branch by paying
less than he should have paid.

“They also wonder that at what meeting of the branch did the
branch members choose to ‘waive’ the balance of N5,000 owed by Mr.
Abolade to warrant the conclusion by the Electoral Committee that
the same was waived.

“It is also rumoured that Mr. Abolade is the Electoral Committee
Chairman’s candidate. This may explain their decision to rule in
his favour contrary to law.” he said

Furthermore, the source said some members have also vowed that
if Mr. Abolade’s clearance is allowed to stand, they will all start
paying whatever they feel like paying as branch due and then wait
to see that Committee that will disqualify them when they choose to
contest at future elections.

According to him, Mr. Akintola has reportedly written a petition
to the NBA National Office to complain about the Electoral
Committee’s decision and that the issue is expected to be discussed
at the NBA NEC meeting holding in Abuja later in the week.

As at the time of filing this report efforts to reach both
parties were unsuccessful.