Mahmoud

NBA ELECTIONS: EFCC GRILLS MAHMOUD, YADUDU TODAY

The last may not have been heard on the controversial Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Elections as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today grill former NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN and Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) Chairman, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu on their roles in the elections. Also to answer queries from a battery of EFCC operatives is ECNBA Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Agoro.

According to an impeccable source who is familiar with the investigation, though the EFCC operatives had earlier scheduled to interview the trio before now, they had requested that the interviews be done in Abuja.

“EFCC turned down the request,” the source told CITY LAWYER. “Instead, it opted to reschedule the interviews to Friday, 24th January, 2019.”

CITY LAWYER also gathered that the anti-graft agency has invited over 50 other lawyers from several NBA branches to its office in its bid to unravel allegations of rigging and sundry infractions during the elections. The investigation is being conducted by EFCC’s Cybercrime Unit.

It is recalled that the EFCC had barely a month after the elections requested a certified true copy of the list of eligible voters for the poll from CHAMS Plc, one of the ICT firms that conducted the elections.

In a letter to the ICT company dated 10th September, 2018 with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/LS/STF/STF3NBA/VOL.7/382, the EFCC stated: “This commission is investigating a case of conspiracy and Cyber Crime in respect of the above-mentioned election featured.”

Signed by its Zonal Head, Mr. Akaninyene Ezima and titled “Investigation activities, Re: 2018 Nigeria Bar Association elections,” EFCC stated that the request was made pursuant to Section 38(1) of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and Section 21 of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended.

In the letter to the managing director of CHAMS Plc, the anti-graft agency further stated: “In view of the above, you are requested to avail us with certified true copy of the list of all eligible voters to include but not limited to Name(s), Phone Number(s), Email Address(es), Branch(es) and Voters ID.

“Any other information that may assist the Commission in its investigation.”

Mr. Paul Usoro SAN was declared elected as NBA President by the ECNBA. Usoro polled 4, 509 votes to beat Chief Arthur Obi Okafor SAN who scored 4, 423 votes while Prof. Ernest Ojukwu (SAN) polled 3, 313 votes. Both Obi Okafor and Ojukwu rejected the results, alleging that irregularities marred the elections.

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MACARTHUR GRANT: NBA, ‘MURRAY’ IN FIERCE BATTLE

• Lawyers’ Body Fails to Submit Report
• Program Officer Calls for Probe
• Usoro regime has damaged NBA brand – Murray
• Says Usoro resiled from pledge to Mahmoud
• ‘We spent only about N100 Million’ Continue Reading

NBA DEBT OVERHANG: PROBE MAHMOUD, MURRAY DARES CRITICS

Mr. Muritala Oladimeji Abdul-Rasheed, Chief of Staff to former Nigerian Bar Association President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN, has asked critics to probe the outgone administration, saying the regime has nothing to hide. Continue Reading

Obi Okafor Queries KPMG’s Appointment

* Questions Mahmoud’s Power to Appoint Auditor

* Lists Issues Probe Must Tackle

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential candidate, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor SAN has queried the authority of former NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN to appoint an auditor for the just concluded National Officers Elections. Continue Reading

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION: Usoro, Obi Okafor Camps in Cat and Mouse Game

* Inauguration Venue Uncertain

* ‘We will not storm the venue’ – Okutepa

* Defendants May be Cited for Contempt of Court

There are strong indications that the camp of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President-elect, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN may have engaged in a hirewire cat-and-mouse game to forestall any last-ditch moves by defeated NBA presidential candidate, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor SAN to truncate the inauguration ceremony scheduled for today. Continue Reading

Odinkalu Calls NBA Election a ‘Racket,’ Raps Mahmoud

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu has lampooned the recently concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Elections, saying it was a “racket.”

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, Odinkalu who is increasingly assuming the role of the ‘Conscience of the Bar,’ also berated NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN for the debacle, saying that “the  outgoing Bar leadership is incredibly tarnished by its role in this messy racket.”

Although Mr. Paul Usoro SAN was declared winner of the presidential election by the Prof. Auwalu Yadudu-led Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), both Chief Arthur Obi Okafor SAN and Prof. Ernest Ojukwu SAN who contested for the NBA Presidency also rejected the results, alleging that the election was marred by rigging among other vices.

The statement reads:

Concerning What AB Mahmoud & the NBA Have Done

Good morning colleagues.

It is unfortunate colleagues failed to heed the clear facts & evidence of a compromised process in #NBADecides2018. The contestants and their supporters mostly behaved desperate, conferring legitimacy on a process that manifestly lacked it from the get go.

Each campaign appeared to behave in such a way as to suggest they were best placed to benefit from a system configured for pre-determined outcomes.

This was not an election. It was not even a selection. It was a racket and a messed up one at that. Now, they will ask the NBA NEC to make this messed up racket their own & ratify it at the pre-conference NEC. That will be interesting.

This racket is a disgrace. The process was compromised and did not even pretend about it. The outcome lacks legitimacy and the declared winner has procured a compromised non-mandate.

Those who hope or expect that there will be an audit should come off that kind of hallucination – you don’t ask a burglar to investigate the burglary.

The outgoing Bar leadership is incredibly tarnished by its role in this messy racket. Yet, we are unlikely to learn. There are no plaudits to hand out, no congratulations to anyone and no one comes out of this a winner.

My name is Chidi Anselm Odinkalu. I am a City-Zen.

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SCANDAL: CHAMS Uses ‘Gmail’ for Election

There are serious concerns over the integrity of the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Elections as CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report that CHAMS Plc deployed a “GMAIL” account for the recently concluded 2018 ICAN Council Election.

Continue Reading

ELECTIONS: Odinkalu Carpets NBA Again

Foremost human rights activist, Prof. Anselm Odinkalu yesterday took a holistic look at the process leading to the election and scored it low. Describing the election as “worse than shambles,” the former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) heaped the blame on the doorsteps of the NBA leadership. Continue Reading

NASS Siege Grave Threat to Democracy – NBA

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has described today’s siege on the premises of the National Assembly as “grave threat to our democracy.” Continue Reading

LAWYERS’ BANK: Committee Submits Report

The Adhoc Committee on the Acquisition of Lawyers Microfinance Bank chaired by Mr. Femi Olubanwo, a Founding Partner at Banwo & Ighodalo, yesterday submitted its report to NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN.

Present at the occasion were the three presidential candidates in the forthcoming NBA National Officers Elections now slated to hold on August 19 and 20, 2018. The event took place on the sidelines of the press conference on the elections. Continue Reading

‘You Have Not Been Fair to Us,’ Olanipekun Tells Mahmoud

Early signs that the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will be explosive emerged yesterday as former NBA President, Chief Wole Olanipekun warned the Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN-led NBA to shelve any plan to amend the association’s controversial constitution.

In a letter dripping with angst and discomfiture, the go-to lawyer expressed disappointment at the situation, adding that the NBA President had “not been fair” to the past NBA presidents and secretaries who admonished him to shelve the constitutional amendment project.

Below is the full text of the statement:

2nd August, 2018

Mr. A. B. Mahmoud, SAN
The President,
Nigerian Bar Association,
NBA House,
Plot 1101, Muhammadu Buhari Way,
Central Business District,
F.C.T. Abuja.

Dear Mr. President,

RE: AMENDMENT TO THE NBA CONSTITUTION
First and foremost, may I extend my professional and brotherly courtesies to you as our/my President.
You would recall that at the last meeting of past Presidents and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) called at your instance at Fraser Suites, Abuja on Friday, 20th July, 2018, you brought up, amongst others, your proposed amendments to the NBA constitution and apprised us of the far-reaching amendments being proposed by you on the eve of your departure, as the President of the foremost professional association in Nigeria. After a very extensive discussion on your proposals, and considering the depth and implications of such amendments, the meeting advised that you should shelve and/or put the proposals on hold, and allow your successor-in-office do further consultations on them, both at the National Executive Committee (NEC) and general levels and platforms, in order to adequately weigh the pros and cons of the proposed amendments before passing same. It was on this note that the meeting closed, and you did not disagree with the wise counsel.

Surprisingly, a notice or plan/intention to amend our constitution, as proposed and tabled by you at the meeting has now been sent out, and I must confess, I am in receipt of same, to the effect that the proposed amendments will be presented at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NBA. I am taken aback by this development, and I kept on wondering why you ever brought up the topic at our meeting of Friday, 20th July,2018, if you knew you would not respect our opinion. Mr. President, you have not been fair to us, to put it mildly. As a person, I protest this attitude and action of yours. Needless reminding you, Mr President that the same meeting resolved a lot of burning issues to your advantage and satisfaction.

As agreed at the said meeting Mr. President, may I again advise and counsel that you put on hold the proposed constitutional amendments. No one possesses the monopoly of wisdom, and it is only courteous that you also respect the objections raised to some of your amendments at the meeting, despite the fact that some of us saw the proposals for the first time just at the meeting. No leader, however brilliant, industrious, good-intentioned or pragmatic can ever resolve all the problems of his association, society or country in his life time or within his tenure. You cannot be an exemption. Please let us learn from history; and be reminded that amendments to the NBA constitution should no longer be randomly done. I dare say that the proposed amendments, in some material particulars, will turn out to be an ill-wind, which will bring or blow in no fresh breath. You are advised not to force the amendments on our beloved Association at the AGM, which, with much respect, might be constituted in such a way that the attendees would not readily understand or appreciate the unending conundrum we will be plunged into if the amendments sail through. And in case you insist on going ahead to present the amendments at the AGM, can you be gracious enough, as a lawyer and leader, to circulate this letter of mine to the AGM.

Allow me to copy this letter to the past Presidents and Secretaries of the NBA.
Once again, Mr. President, accept my high regards.

I remain,

Your colleague and predecessor-in-office,

Chief Wole Olanipekun, OFR, SAN, LL.D, FCIArb., FNIALS.

CC:
Chief Richard Akinjide, CON, SAN
Chief (Mrs) Priscilla Kuye
Chief T.J.O. Okpoko, OON, SAN
C.J. Okocha, SAN
Chief Bayo Ojo, CON, SAN
Prince Lanke Odogiyan
Olisa Agbakoba, SAN
Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN
Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN
Okechukwu Wali, SAN
Augustine Alegeh, SAN
Dele Adesina, SAN
Chief Isiaka Olagunju, Esq

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VERIFICATION: Odinkalu Blasts NBA, Electoral C’te

Former National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has lampooned the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and its electoral committee for the hiccups that have attended the verification exercise for this year’s National Officers election.

Below is the full statement as sent to CITY LAWYER:

Good morning colleagues,

I have lost count of the number of people who have tried to encourage me to persevere with the verification process for these NBA elections. They are mostly people whom I respect. So I have paid them heed.

As much as I have tried, I have been unsuccessful so far and this is day 3 of trying. I can’t even begin to compute the amount of time it has cost me. Nor the hours in time I should have been asleep.

With so many of us stuck in this, I want to ask honestly why are we as a bunch of professionals so tolerant of clear incompetence? What happened to our capacities – collective and individual – for indignation?

Surely NBA’s election is not an accident. We know when it is supposed to happen. Every tenure in the NBA has 2 years notice to prepare for it. Yet here we are, out of time, with an election platform that is clearly untested, flawed in design, unknown to the electorate, not understood by the ECNBA and absolutely unfit for purpose.

As voters, we should be angry. As professionals we should be ashamed. This exercise has turned into cruel and unusual punishment of the kind that is clearly prohibited by our national constitution. No election should justify or involve this amount of pointless loss in transaction cost.

The result is that much of the electorate will be disenfranchised. Any mandate that emerges from this would have questions in legitimacy. The assurances of the ECNBA about electoral creibility are hollow, empty and utterly devoid of credulity.

I would like the NBA to have a leadership transition. I am not sure it should be purchased at the steep cost to institution credibility that we seem willing to sleep-walk into. Something has to change and fast too. We don’t have time…

I am Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

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Copyright 2018 CITY LAWYER. 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.

Breaking: New NBA President to Emerge August 4

• ECNBA Okays New Time Table
• To embark on “further” testing of portal
• Decision Throws Up Constitutional Issues
• NBA-NEC to Ratify Decisions at AGC

A new president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) will emerge on August 4, 2018 following the release of new election time table by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA). Continue Reading

NBA ELECTION: Mahmoud Queries Yadudu

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN has queried the embattled Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), Prof. Auwalu Yadudu SAN over a trending article on the NBA election, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report. Continue Reading

CHAMSGATE: Mahmoud Speaks, Reassures Lawyers

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has stated that the 2018 NBA National Officers election will be shifted by a few days. Also, CHAMS Plc will provide the e-voting platform while other ICT firms will conduct the pre-election and post-election verification and audit respectively. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: CHAMSGATE – NBA Election Must Be Postponed, Say Past Presidents

• Olanipekun, Daudu, Wali Present at Parley
• CHAMS Remains ICT Partner
• Candidates’ ICT Experts to Oversight CHAMS
• Election to Be Shifted by 2 Days
• Fresh Verification Exercise May Ensue

CHAMS Plc will remain the ICT Partner for the 2018 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Election earlier slated for July 27 and 28, 2018, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report. An announcement to this effect will be made soon by either the NBA leadership or the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA). Continue Reading

CHAMS Knows Fate Tomorrow, as Meeting Deadlocked

• Conducts Test Run for Mahmoud, ECNBA
• Presidential Candidates Absent
• 36,000 on Voters’ List
• 12, 000 Voters Verified

The fate of CHAMS Plc as the ICT Partner for the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Election may be decided tomorrow following a deadlocked meeting today. Continue Reading

CHAMS Bids for E-voting 31 Days Before ECNBA Inauguration

The scandal rocking the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Election has taken another dimension as facts have emerged that CHAMS Plc submitted its bid to provide electronic voting services for the elections at least 31 days before the inauguration of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA). Continue Reading

CHAMSGATE: Mahmoud Summons Crisis Meeting

• Invites Presidential Candidates
• High-level Parley Holds Thursday
• NBA Writes CHAMS for Full Disclosure
• CHAMS to Know Fate Soon

The crises rocking the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Officers Election has compelled NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud SAN to summon a meeting of key stakeholders to find ways to save the elections.

Impeccable sources told CITY LAWYER that emails were sent to the presidential candidates inviting them to the high-profile crisis management meeting scheduled to hold by 2 pm on Thursday in the President’s Conference Room. Other candidates are not invited to the high stakes meeting.

Signed by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Agoro, sources told CITY LAWYER that the letter did not disclose any agenda for the meeting.

However, NBA sources told CITY LAWYER that perhaps the only item on the agenda is to decide the fate of CHAMS Plc whose selection as the ICT Partner for the elections has raised serious dust among stakeholders. Continue Reading