BY EMEKA NWADIOKE

Doubts were yesterday cast on the functionality of the Help Desk set up by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to facilitate the verification exercise for the forthcoming NBA Elections, as the hot lines were unavailable. The elections are scheduled to hold on July 29 and 30, 2020 to elect new national officers for the association.

The NBA had in an online post by its Assistant National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Akorede Habeeb Lawal titled “NBA VERIFICATION SUPPORT” unveiled some telephone numbers to assist lawyers having challenges with the verification exercise.

The statement read: “In order to afford support for our members going through the verification process or having issues with accessing their personal portals on the NBA website, the NBA has introduced the following support lines which shall be available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day of the week.” He also added that “Complaints may also be sent to support@nigerianbar.org.ng.”

However, when CITY LAWYER dialed all the four numbers between 7:33 pm and 7:35 pm yesterday, none of the numbers connected. Instead, each telephone number returned the message that “The MTN number you are trying to call is currently switched off. Please try again later.” The numbers are 08168011579, 08165374194, 08165037594 and 08167181605. It was unclear at press time how this will impact the verification exercise.

It is recalled that the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) had in its ECNBA STATEMENT NO 009 at the weekend announced the same numbers as help lines for the verification exercise.

In the statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Tawo Eja Tawo SAN, the electoral committee stated that “Members who are yet to undertake the verification of their particulars on the NBA website are advised to do so without further delay. Members are required to activate their personal portal on the website upon verification not later than the 15th day of July 2020.

“A support system which will become operational from Monday the 29th day of June 2020 is being set up with the following dedicated lines 08168011579, 08165374194, 08165037594 and 08167181605 email: support@nigerianbar.org.ng.”

In an earlier statement dated June 21, 2020 the electoral committee announced commencement of the verification exercise, a critical part of the electioneering process, saying: “The ECNBA hereby request all eligible voters to immediately verify their details on the NBA Website to be able to vote in the elections.

VERIFICATION PROCESS
To be verified means that all the member’s necessary and relevant data (particularly phone numbers, email address, postal and home address) are with the Nigerian Bar Association. For you to vote, you are required to maintain an active portal on the NBA website:

(a) For members who have not previously been verified:
1. Visit https://nigerianbar.org.ng/membership-portal
2. Click on the Get Verified Option and do the following:

Enter your email address correctly and complete the verification form;
Upload a soft copy of your call to bar certificate;
Patiently wait for a confirmation email from the NBA, which will contain your Supreme Court enrolment number and a temporary password (that you can always change at your convenience).

3. Upon receiving a confirmation email from the NBA indicating that you have been successfully verified, do the following:

Go back to the NBA Membership Portal page;
Copy your enrolment number and password from the confirmation email and enter same on the portal as login details to avoid errors;
Ensure you type both the alphabets and figures of your Supreme Court Number together without space (E.G.: SCN111111).

(b) For members who have previously been verified but unable to login:

1. Visit https://nigerianbar.org.ng/membership-portal

2. Click Forgot Password

3. Enter Your Supreme Court Number and follow the instructions.”

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