Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) representatives at the General Council of the Bar (GCB) have urged NBA Trustees and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to “prevail on the President of NBA to refrain from interfering with the role of the NBA Representatives in the General Council of the Bar (GCB) and to take steps to remedy the very unfounded comments and allegations made without regard to the integrity and reputation of the Members of the GCB.”

Rising from a recent meeting, the members also noted that “it seems that his (Maikyau’s) perspective on the GCB has become skewed, viewing it as his ‘baby’ and possibly feeling compelled to undermine it if he cannot exert full control. This sentiment raises concerns about potential actions that may compromise the integrity of the GCB.”

Maikyau has lately been battling to put out fires on several fronts. CITY LAWYER recalls that former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) resigned from the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) following NBA’s prolonged delay in paying one of the committee’s vendors after the 2022 NBA Elections. 

Aside from allegations made by estranged NBA ICT Consultant, Mr. Adams Mshelia Makarios against the association’s leadership in a series of interviews with CITY LAWYER, the climax of the face-off with some entities and individuals climaxed with the sensational bust-up between Maikyau and nearly all members of the NBA Executive Committee, leading to most National Officers penning disclaimers against his allegations. More recently, Maikyau has fallen out with the erstwhile leadership of NBA-SPIDEL as well as GCB members. It remains to be seen how the latest debacle will be resolved.

According to the letters by the NBA representatives, “The GCB operates distinctly from the NBA, and it is crucial to keep these entities separate and prevent the GCB from becoming collateral damage in NBA disputes. Our plea is for a resolution that safeguards the autonomy of the GCB and prevents it from being entangled in conflicts that do not concern its mandate.”

The allusion may not be unconnected with the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) crisis which also has the Coordinator of the now banned ‘Representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association to the General Council of the Bar,’ Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins as a key player.

Singed by 11 members of the council, the letters stated that “Our primary motivation in bringing this matter to your attention is to protect our integrity and to rectify any misconceptions that may have arisen as a result of Mr. Y. C. Maikyau’s statements. Maintaining the integrity of the legal profession is of paramount importance to us, and it is imperative that the records are set straight.

“We also respectfully urge you to call on the NBA President to provide clarifications regarding his conduct and the motivations behind the recent actions against NBA representatives in the GCB; and take appropriate measures to ensure that the NBA President refrains from leading the NEC recklessly without regard to the far reaching implications of its resolutions.

“The office of the NBA President is highly esteemed, and witnessing its use for personal and possibly divisive purposes is disheartening. We trust that you will take the necessary steps to address these concerns and restore the dignity and impartiality of the NBA President’s office.”

CITY LAWYER recalls that the NBA National Executive Council (NEC) recently banned the body known as ‘Representatives of the Nigerian Bar Association to the General Council of the Bar’ alongside dissolution of the Executive Committee of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).

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