The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Second Vice President, Mr. Clement Ugo Chukwuemeka has disagreed sharply with NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN on the choice of venue for NBA National Executive Council (NEC) meetings.

In a post on his verified Facebook handle, Chukwuemeka decried what he termed as “Northernization” of NEC meetings, adding that hosting the meetings in states that lack airports lead to increased risks and cost for NEC members.

According to Chukwuemeka, “I am not against any branch of the northern extraction witnessing and or hosting the NEC meetings but we must take note and appreciate the financial implication and risk attached to branch reps to NEC when they travel to some states that do not have direct flights from their base.”

The fiery Bar Leader stated that he is “of the firm view that NEC meetings should be spread across regions or held in Abuja if there is no fund or held virtual in worst case scenarios,” adding that “North can not continue to host NEC meetings to the exclusion of other regions. I understand the powers of the president and GS in fixing meetings of such nature hence they can fix meetings at the River Niger and no one will question them, but I am pleading that meetings for the remaining days in the office should be spread to other regions other than North including this present alleged YOLA emergency meeting. Where we do not have sponsors, 100% virtual should be encouraged to save funds for the association as our president has always advocated.”

He alleged that NEC hosting is being used to ‘appease’ states, adding that the NBA leadership “put money first” in its choice of NEC venue.

CITY LAWYER gathered from an unimpeachable source that the NBA Second Vice President had raised the matter within the NBA Executive Committee, though there are strong indications that his veiled protest did not yield fruit.

Aside from Abuja which is the headquarters of the association, past NEC meetings seem to have held exclusively within the Northern Zone, including meetings at Kebbi, Jos and the forthcoming meeting in Yola.

Below is the full text of his post.

The emergency NEC meeting is contained in our NBA constitution as amended, but must we have same physical?

Does the agenda for the Presentation of Report/Budget By the AGCPC and ECNBA report qualifies (sic)  as emergency in this context?

Can we handle the two agendas via virtual to save money and precious time?

I am not against any branch of the northern extraction witnessing and or hosting the NEC meetings but we must take note and appreciate the financial implication and risk attached to branch reps to NEC when they travel to some states that do not have direct flights from their base.

It is very important to remind us that we operate a regional style of NBA, where the constitution recognizes The North, The East and the West. But in the secular national terrain , we have North and South.

I have equally realized that the president in trying to appoint members of the profession in various committees despite ignoring the exco inputs in most cases has consistently followed the regional spread in doing so. That I must applaud.

I am of the firm view that NEC meetings should be spread across regions or held in Abuja if there is no fund or held virtual in worst case scenarios .

This will encourage participation and attendance.

North can not continue to host NEC meetings to the exclusion of other regions , I understand the powers of the president and GS in fixing meetings of such nature hence they can fix meetings at the River Niger and no one will question them, but I am pleading that meetings for the remaining days in the office should be spread to other regions other than North including this present alleged YOLA emergency meeting, where we do not have sponsors , 100% virtual should be encouraged to save funds for the association as our president has always advocated.

Attendance and quality of discussion especially the state of the nation remains the major credit of successful NEC meetings and can only be encouraged by hosting same in assessable and flight friendly states where one can have easy and choice of flight daily.

Our far North, west and eastern NEC members that may not have direct flights may likely travel 2 days to YOLA , those that must use flight may likely spend so much to attend the NEC and such inconveniences will discourage and affect the output of NEC robust discussions . Count me out when ever NEC hosting rights will be for highest bidders.

Must state governors sponsor our programs? Why are we disgracing this lovely BAR? why are we accepting funding from the problem of this country?

Please GS and Mr President, both of you that have mandate of convoking a meeting by the constitution of NBA, should be interested in the welfare, life, health and attendance of our NBA NEC Members first before appeasing state apparatus of choice for a selfish cleansing gains. NBA as a body is a proud organization which its brand architecture can never be assuaged financially. We must take note of this. Because it pains me that we put money first in every of our discussion in choice of venue for our meetings. This need to stop. I am proud of NBA and I love her.

The horrific life threatening journey of our members to and fro YOLA from all 128 plus two branches should make us rethink and retrace our steps no matter the benefits of same . We have witnessed how a whole NEC meetings can no more attract any past President , elders , and core bar men in attendance , this is because our administration have turned NEC Meetings into a slaughter ground against any perceived enemy of the bar rather than its purpose . History of the Bar will never forgive this tenure which I am part of.

The branch chairmen and secretaries of NBA across Nigeria lives MATTERS! and I shall join many that may wish to opt out of the NEC because of the distance and risk associated to such journey as well as other reasons if other exco decides to withdraw their voices and support this exclusion of other regions from hosting NEC Meetings .

Clement Ugo Chukwuemeka Democrat detest anything that will affect the Bar Unity as well as progress, and I am totally against the monetization and Northernization of the NEC meetings, my northern friends will agree with me that , it is fair and equitable to move round for them to socialize with other regions as recognized by the NBA constitution as amended. But if every one will support same , who am I ? But let it be on record that leadership should spread the love to encourage brotherhood and love amongst the Bar. I am not against the north, but north should join the East and West in advocating for shift in this administration which has witnessed only Northern meetings since inception .

Clems
#Democrat2030

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