There are palpable concerns that tomorrow’s high-stakes election of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch may be rigged.

CITY LAWYER investigation shows that some stakeholders are worried that plans may have been perfected to thwart the will of members of the branch.

Meanwhile, the poll is also seen as the first major electoral face-off between the behemoth Integrity Group which has held the branch by the jugular for years and the Progressives, perceived by many  stakeholders as the new-kid-on-block.

CITY LAWYER gathered that it was the choice of the chairmanship candidate for the forthcoming election that split the Integrity Group, especially on the issue of whether to field a non-indigene or otherwise.

Investigations show that while the Integrity Group is backing Madam Felicia Nwoke, the Progressives are backing Mrs. Cordelia Eke. The tripodal fight is completed by returnee candidate, Mr. Geoffrey Joseph. He is one of those who expressed concerns on possible rigging of the election.

Another key stakeholder who shares his fears is Mr. Sylvester Adaka, a former chairman of the branch (2018-2020). However, Mr. Temple Waamah, the Leader of the Integrity Group, told CITY LAWYER that such fears are misplaced.

Asked whether he has any concerns regarding the election, Joseph said: “Definitely yes! We ask for a most transparent election, especially to guard against double or roundtripping voting.”

Asked to elaborate on this, he said that it is when “A member takes the NBA ID card of an absent member and votes on his or her behalf. They (Electoral Committee) must guard against that.” 

He however said that he would “keep an open mind” on the election, adding that “For the Electoral (Committee) Chairman, he is a man of impeccable character.”

Towing a similar line, Adaka said that “there are concerns that enemies of the branch are determined to thwart the will of the members.”

He however urged the branch members “not to allow themselves to be used to achieve this unwholesome goal,” adding that “the unity and progress of this branch depends on this election more than any other time in our history.”

He warned that some stakeholders are bent on using the instrumentality of the Electoral Committee to thwart the election, even as he also vouched for the chairman and secretary of the Branch Electoral Committee, describing them as “fine gentlemen.” 

Adaka raised issues relating to manipulation of the branch attendance register, adding that future elections must see to the establishment of the Electoral Committee long before the election while giving more oversight to members on issues relating to the attendance register among others.

Saying that he would not  want to dabble into the face-off between the Integrity Group and the Progressives, Adaka stated that “We the members know who is the best for the branch. We know among the three chairmanship candidates the person who has the best pedigree. Clearly, my support is for Mrs. Eke. She has the best pedigree, the best antecedents, you name it!

On his part, another Bar Leader, Pastor Chigozirim Nwaodu indicated that the leadership of the Integrity Group may have taken its members for a ride, saying that it has a “sense of entitlement. They believe that the followers must swallow whatever they give to them, notwithstanding the quality of the product. That is about to change! We are taking power back to where it actually belongs – with members of Port Harcourt Branch.”

But Waamah waved away the concerns of other stakeholders, saying that there was opportunity for objections on the attendance register and that the Electoral Committee is reviewing the objections.

He also dismissed the growing view that the election is the first major popularity test for the Integrity Group, saying: “We are going to the poll tomorrow. Port Harcourt is a place where people know the truth; the truth will speak tomorrow. There is nothing like a new group. There was a break-away faction.”

He traced the face-off with the Progressives to the search for a chairmanship candidate, adding that it revolved around whether to field a non-indigene or otherwise. “We chose Adaka as a non-indigene but he is now leading the opposition. Now that there is no South East candidate, they are backing a candidate from the Ministry of Justice.”

Waamah also dismissed insinuations that the group’s candidate is “too old,” saying that while the new group is free to field any candidate of their choice, “the Bar will speak tomorrow. We are a pressure group. We are ready to go to the poll. The election will be hitch-free; we do not entertain violence in our branch.”

Aligning with Waamah, another key member of the Integrity Group and a candidate for the position of NBA First Vice President in the forthcoming national election, Mr. Reginald Ugwuadu told CITY LAWYER that “NBA politics is localized and the outcome is not expected to be different. All the candidates have done beautifully well on the campaign trail and we look forward to a peaceful transition.

“The chairman of the Eleco and his members have been firm and consistent in upholding the provisions of our Uniform bye laws and I am sure they will deliver on their mandate. My advice is for them to keep up the good work and apply sanctions, where necessary, no matter whose ox is gored.

“There is no group as Progressive. What you have are Integrity Group persons masquerading as new found Messiahs. I bet you, after the elections, the group will disintegrate, because these are all strange bedfellows.”

Other candidates for the election are Ezechimenum Adums, Chijioke Amadi, Modupe Babalola, Elijah Briggs, Kelechi Chinule, Mary Samuel and Cordelia Eke. Others are Cleopas Esu, Atonye Ezekiel-Hart, Francis Ibekwe-Allagoa, Emmanuel John, Geoffrey Joseph, Nnenda Kejeh, Felicia Nwoke, Obumneme Nwoye and David Onyema.

While Amadi and John are to slug it out for the position of Vice Chairman, Briggs and Nwoye will duel for the influential position of Branch Secretary.

The race for Assistant Secretary is between Esu and Ibekwe-Allagoa while Babalola and Ezekiel-Hart will battle for the position of Financial Secretary.

Candidates who are going into the election as unopposed include Chinule (Publicity Secretary), Onyema (Welfare Secretary), Kejeh (Treasurer), Mary Dikibo (Social Secretary) and Adums (Provost).

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COPYRIGHT 2022 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on “X” (TWITTER) at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER or for Special Features, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083.

All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.