A major contender for the position of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) First Vice President in  the forthcoming elections has quit the race, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report.

Former NBA Enugu Branch Chairman, Dr. Jude Ezegwui told CITY LAWYER that he was throwing in the towel in compliance with the Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) Constitution which has zoned the slot to the South South bloc of the regional association.

CITY LAWYER gathered that the Bar Leader also told the last EBF meeting in Enugu of his resolve to collapse his campaign as it concerns the position.

Ezegwui noted that the three leading contenders for the post of NBA President all hail from Anambra State, adding that it would not accord with inclusion for him who is also from the state to gun for the position of NBA First Vice President, leaving the eight other EBF states with no post.

“I was approached by senior members of the Bar, SANs, Lagos, Abuja and PH branch members and Eastern Bar Forum to allow the South-South region to go for the position of 1st Vice NBA,” Ezegwui told CITY LAWYER. “I have always believed that Bar politics is about service; It is not a do-or-die affair.”

CITY LAWYER gathered that as part of the horse-trading that has enveloped the NBA political firmament recently, the stakeholders may have offered the former NBA Enugu Branch helmsman the position of NBA General Secretary come 2026.

It is envisaged that he may be more effectual in that position unlike the post of NBA First Vice President which some political watchers believe does not have real executive powers.

While Ezegwui’s withdrawal may have handed the initiative to the three leading aspirants from the South South bloc, namely Dr. Promise Iwezor of Isiokpo Branch, Mr. Sopriye Long Williams and Mr. Reginald Ugwuadu of Port Harcourt Branch – they would still have to contend with other aspirants from the South East bloc including Dr. Gerald Abonyi, pioneer Chairman of NBA Obollo-Afor Branch; former NBA Ikeja Chairman, Mr. Bartholomew Aguegbedo. On the other hand, while former Aguata Branch Chairman, Mr. Sabastine Anyia hails from the South South bloc, he has since adopted the South East and especially Anambra State as his practice and political base. Former NBA Yenagoa Branch Chairman, Mr. Ikechukwu Stanley Damabide is also said to be interested in the position.

CITY LAWYER observes that some candidates have occasionally defied the EBF Constitution by insisting on testing their political prowess with the electorate.

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