• ‘WE ARE HEADING TO COURT,’ SAYS ODUAH’S TOP AIDE

The Usman Ogwu Sule SAN-led National Officers’ Election Appeal Committee (NOEAC) has resolved all appeals sent in by aspirants disqualified by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report.

Confirming the conclusion of the appeals, the Chairman of the Appeal Committee, Mr. Usman Ogwu Sule SAN told CITY LAWYER that “The Committee received 10 Appeals and considered same. The Appeal committee resolutions are sent to all Candidates emails. Candidates are to check their emails.”

CITY LAWYER can also confirm that aside from about two appeals, all the others were dismissed by the Appeal Committee which sat in marathon meetings.

Among the appeals dismissed are those of former NBA General Secretary Joyce Oduah, embattled NBA Treasurer Caroline Anze-Bishop, fiery blogger Felix Ashimole, and returnee aspirant Ede Asenoguan.

Others are Dhikrullah Balogun, Jovita Ibekwe and Adejorin Abiona who are gunning for positions as NBA Representatives at the General Council of the Bar (GCB).

Among the lucky duo are Sabastine Anyia who is gunning for the post of NBA First Vice President and Chukwuemeka Mbamala who is vying for the post of Treasurer.

Dismissing Bishop’s appeal, the committee held that “The Appeal Committee finds that the Candidate being a Civil Servant is not into full time private legal practice not minding the letter from NSCDC attached as Annexure 4. The annexure does not cure the defect that she is still a Civil Servant in the employment of NSCDC.

“The Appeal Committee therefore affirms the decision of the ECNBA and this appeal is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit. On the whole, the appeal lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.”

Though Oduah did not respond to enquiries on the outcome of her appeal, a top aide of the former National Officer told CITY LAWYER that “We are heading to court,” indicating that she would appeal the rule to the court.

CITY LAWYER investigation showed that the appellants were meant to scale different hurdles.

Oduah, an NBA presidential aspirant, was to answer to having held elective offices for two terms while her seconder omitted to include evidence of payment of 2024 BPF. Anze-Bishop (General Secretary) was confronted with the charge that she is not in private practice.

Ashimole was said to have paid his 2024 BPF on 24th December, 2023 while his second nominator submitted a teller dated 29/01/24 in lieu of 2024 BPF.

On his part, Sabastine Anyia, who is gunning for the position of NBA First Vice President, was to answer to the charge that the proof of BPF payment for one of the nominators did not carry the name of the nominator.

Asenoguan, who ran for the position of General Secretary in the 2022 Elections, asked the Appeal Committee to reverse the decision that he failed to add to his nomination, evidence of payment of 2024 BPF.

Mbamala, a returnee aspirant for the position of Treasurer, has cried foul over the decision that his nominator and seconder’s receipts of payment for BPF had no names on the receipts. Balogun is said not to have attached 2022 branch dues receipt while the nominator did not also attach 2022 branch dues.

For Ibekwe, the ECNBA had resolved that her nominator paid his 2023 branch dues in April and did not submit his evidence of payment of 2024 BPF while the seconder’s receipt of payment of BPF has no name or email address.

Abiona, also an aspirant for the position of GCB Representative, battled to surmount the charge that his Seconder’s state of origin does not align with his own for the GCB slot.

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