The recent threat by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) to sanction participants who breach NBA Election guidelines goes against the NBA Constitution, a Vice President of the association has said.

In a post on Facebook in response to a CITY LAWYER report on the matter, NBA Second Vice President, Mr. Chukwuemeka Clement Ugo stated that the committee lacked the power to sanction aspirants, arguing that only candidates come under the purview of the committee.

The outspoken Bar Leader who is popularly known as “Democrat” hinted that such sanctions may be challenged, saying that “It is a wrong and unconstitutional threat and ECNBA should be able to understand that all of us are lawyers first before NBA politicians.”

He added that “it is unconstitutional and a damage control that will not control the expensive nature of NBA elections, as they (aspirants) have violated same and spent heavily in printing hard copy campaign materials for their supporters.”

He noted that “such guidelines should be imbedded in our constitution from the word go” by replacing the word ‘candidates’ with ‘aspirants,’ adding that “I will so praise the chairman if he can muster courage to disqualify one presidential aspirant.”

The ECNBA had warned aspirants against embarking on campaigns and “campaign visit under any guise,” noting that it would disqualify any candidate found culpable.

In a notice made available to CITY LAWYER, the committee wrote: “Until the ECNBA declares campaigns open and set out the limited scope of such a campaign as provided in our Constitution, and relevant guidelines, no prospective candidate nor his/her supporters shall post, issue, print, publish, or display any campaign material, nor embark upon a campaign visit under any guise. Where evidence of such infraction is provided to the ECNBA, such a candidate shall be disqualified forthwith and shall not participate in the elections.”

Below is the full text of Ugo’s statement.

I still maintain that it is not proper to sanction an aspirant that is not a candidate yet.

Does it mean ECNBA is overruling the constitution of NBA?

Their guideline is good – no doubt about that – to control the flooding of chats and others as well as reduce the expensive nature of the campaign.

There is no presidential aspirant that does not spend above (N)5m per week. This is not healthy, and that is why some winners do not perform.

But it is unconstitutional and a damage control that will not control the expensive nature of NBA elections, as they have violated same and spent heavily in printing hard copy campaign materials for their supporters.

Such guideline should be imbedded in our constitution from the word go by replacing the word “candidates” with “aspirants” .

What it means is that if an opponent reposts another opponent’s outlawed hard copy campaign materials today, ECNBA will disqualify the said candidate?

It is a wrong and unconstitutional threat and ECNBA should be able to understand that all of us are lawyers first before NBA politicians.

I want to see this ECNBA disqualify one person on this, because many of them have violated (the) same (guideline). I will so praise the chairman if he can muster courage to disqualify one presidential aspirant.

I am waiting to know if the micro-zoning in the constitution will be adhered to!

May they perform without fear, but may they utilize wisdom in service.

#democrat2030

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