NATIONAL OFFICERS

EXCLUSIVE: ‘THERE’S NO PEACE PACT, MAIKYAU, GEN SEC STILL USURPING MY OFFICE,’ SAYS NBA TREASURER

The crisis rocking the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Executive Committee is far from over as the embattled NBA Treasurer, Caroline Anze-Bishop has distanced herself from the highly publicized ‘peace pact’ between the squabbling NBA National Officers.

CITY LAWYER recalls that NBA witnessed perhaps the most chaotic Annual General Meeting (AGM) in recent history when the National Treasurer alongside the NBA Second Vice President Clement Chukwuemeka and Third Vice President Amanda Demechi-Asagba argued that NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN was impeding the performance of their constitutional roles.

But NBA had announced in a Press Statement that it had hammered out a truce between the National Officers, saying: “The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN has announced the reconciliation of the national officers of the NBA following the disagreements that emerged during the last Annual General Meeting of the NBA.”

Quoting Maikyau, the statement read: “We have allowed ourselves to become ministers of reconciliation such that all the challenges and the differences we had within our Exco, have by the special grace of God today, been reconciled. And the first place we would go to after that reconciliation is this occasion…we give God all the glory, and the process of reconciliation was not difficult, it was seamless.”

The statement added: “The reconciliation of the national officers took place at the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the NBA, presided over by the NBA President, who had in attendance all the national officers of the Association. Rising from the meeting, members of the Executive Committee resolved to put their differences aside and re-dedicate themselves to the service of members and the lofty objectives of the NBA.”

But Anze-Bishop told CITY LAWYER that nothing could be farther from the truth. Responding to the public statement, she said: “I saw the statement just like you did, that we resolved. Resolved what? And who’s ‘We’? The AGM Saga was an open public show and so was my rejoinder, and I expect a public response by Mr. President to those issues and nothing less.”

Giving a hint that nothing has changed since the highly publicized face-off at the AGM, Anze-Bishop stated that her role is still being usurped. Her words: “My job is still being done by the G. S. and Mr. President, so (the) status quo remains the same and a few exaggerated words won’t cover it.

“I am not in a boxing ring with anyone so it’s baseless to claim we’ve (whoever that is) reached a truce. The National Officers physically met on the 19th and 21st of October but I only joined virtually on Saturday, the 21st, the second day. With the exception of the 1st VP perhaps, every other National Officer pointed out that Mr. President carries on by himself regardless of our presence or roles as National Officers.”

Hinting that the face-off between her and the NBA President may still rear its ugly head at the forthcoming NBA National Executive Council (NBA-NEC) meeting, Anze-Bishop said: “I equally reiterated to him (Maikyau) and the EXCO that the same scenario of the AGM with me will repeat itself at NEC because nothing has changed even as at now, and I will report no falsehood. Mr. President only responded that we will meet at the next meeting of 28th November and discuss these issues. Is that how a ‘resolution’ is done? as I hear being peddled around?”

CITY LAWYER recalls that Anze-Bishop had washed her hands off the financial statements presented to the AGM, saying she would not endorse them as she was not privy to the preparation of the statements. The AGM ended abruptly, without adopting or approving the financial statements.

Noting that she “always looks forward to an excellent working relationship with Mr. President,” the NBA Treasurer however told CITY LAWYER that “The issues I tabled before the AGM are yet to be resolved,” adding that “the status quo remains the same the same.”

She described the NBA public statement as “a most inspiring and proactive statement capable of giving an exquisite makeover or face lift to the worst of scenarios I would humbly imagine. So, Bravo!”

Tracing the crisis to the “abundance of little or no regard for National Officers and their Constitutional duties/Offices inter alia,” Anze-Bishop told CITY LAWYER that “A consideration of Romans 13:7 and upholding the provisions of our Constitution especially with regard to the sacredness of the duties of each officer and drawn boundaries between one Officer and the other, or between one Officer and others inter alia will certainly help to set things aright in my modest view.”

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IMPEACHMENT: ODUAH KNOWS FATE TODAY, ASKS NEC MEMBERS TO SHUN MOVE

  • PHOTO EXCLUDED IN NEC BUNDLE

The fate of the suspended General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association Joyce Oduah will be decided today by the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-NEC).

The NBA-NEC meeting holds today at 4 pm at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, venue of this year’s NBA Annual General Conference (AGC).

Meanwhile, Oduah’s photograph is conspicuously absent from the list of National Executive Committee members as listed in the NEC Bundle sent to members for today’s meeting. It has been replaced with the photograph of Acting General Secretary, Ms. Uche Nwadialo. The notice for the NEC Meeting issued by the suspended General Secretary is however retained while her photograph also adorns the AGC Programme as “General Secretary,” perhaps due to logistical challenges.

CITY LAWYER recalls that NBA National Officers had in a unanimous decision resolved to suspend Oduah from her position, accusing her of gross misconduct. NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata recused himself from the meeting, given his face-off with Oduah. The National Officers had also resolved to recommend Oduah to the NBA-NEC for “removal from office for gross misconduct.”

In an email to NBA members obtained by CITY LAWYER informing them of the resolution to suspend Oduah as General Secretary and signed by nine of the 11 NBA National Executive Committee members, the committee stated that the suspension was based on “weighty allegations against the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah in particular her acts of alleged disobedience to the President, the National Executive Council of the Association (NBA-NEC) and the National Executive Committee.”

The Committee also stated that “At the end of the deliberations, the National Executive Committee by a unanimous decision, resolved to refer the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah to NBA-NEC for disciplinary action under the provisions of section 20(1) of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2021) and to recommend her removal from office for gross misconduct.”

Oduah has however fought back, dragging NBA to the Federal High Court. Her attempt to secure interim reliefs and superintend over the NBA Secretariat at today’s meeting failed as the court refused to grant her interim reliefs. The matter has been adjourned to Tuesday for hearing of her Motion on Notice.

Meanwhile, Oduah has urged NBA-NEC members to refrain from taking any action that may lead to her removal as General Secretary, citing the court case.

Writing on Oduah’s behalf to members of the NBA National Executive Council (NEC), her Lead Counsel and former Chief of Staff to NBA President, Mr. Muritala Abdul-rasheed SAN blamed Akpata from Oduah’s travails.

In an email sent yesterday to all NBA-NEC members among others, Abdul-rasheed stated that the suspended NBA General Secretary “received notice of a purported resolution passed by the Members of the National Executive Committee the NBA under the supervision and manipulation of Mr. Olumide Akpata, the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

Dated August 18, 2022, the email was copied to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, NBA Trustees, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, members of the Body of Benchers, National Executive Committee members, chairmen and secretaries of NBA branches, co-opted NBA-NEC members, past NBA National Officers, and all NBA members.

Abdul-rasheed argued that the suspension of a National Officer “is not contemplated by the Constitution of the NBA,” adding that “members of the Executive Committee have no vires to discipline or suspend our client from office as they purport to do in their misguided resolution.”

He prayed the NBA-NEC members to respect the pending case, noting that Oduah is “the center gravity and engine room of NBA-NEC meetings” and that “The purported suspension of our client was illegally carried out.”

The email which was titled “RE: SUIT NO : FHC /ABJ/CS/1426 /2022 Between: Mrs . Joyce Oduah V . The Incorp. Trustees of the NBA,” noted that the matter came up for hearing last Thursday, adding that “At the proceedings, the Incoorporated (sic) Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association was represented by Mr. Solomon Umoh, SAN, while Mr. Olumide Akpata, the President of the NBA, was in Court in person and represented by Mr. Godwin Omoaka, SAN. The Defendants therefore are aware of the pendency of the action.”

Noting that NBA’s core objective “is promotion and protection of the principles of rule of law and respect for fundamental rights, human rights and people’s rights, Oduah’s counsel stated that “we have our client’s instruction to to respectfully pray the NBA-NEC thus:

i. that all steps be taken by the NEC to ensure the pending litigation and proceedings of the Honourable Court is respected;

ii. that all parties to the pending litigation respect the rule of law and desist from taking any steps, action(s), move motion(s) and/or pass resolution(s) and/or not doing anything capable of jeopardizing and/or disrespecting the pending proceedings before the Honourable Court; and

iii. that the subject matter of the pending litigation, which is now caught by the doctrine of les pendens, is not discussed, put to vote, motion(s), resolution(s) and/or decided upon by the NEC.”

In a veiled reference to Akpata, Abdul-rasheed prayed that “NEC will NOT allow any member, no matter how highly placed or influential, to surreptitiously move her to take any of the above actions.”

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EXCLUSIVE: NBA EXCO IN EMERGENCY MEETING, MAY IMPEACH GENERAL SECRETARY

The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-NEC) is currently having an Emergency Meeting over the crisis rocking the Mr. Olumide Akpata Administration, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report.

A source at the meeting told CITY LAWYER that one of the issues that may be considered by the meeting is whether to impeach the embattled General Secretary of the association, Joyce Oduah for “utter disrespect of the entire National Officers and for refusing to carry out the directives of the NBA-NEC.”

Several National Officers told CITY LAWYER that they were aggrieved with the General Secretary’s refusal to issue approved notice of meeting for the NBA Annual General Meeting (AGM) as resolved by the NBA-NEC.

A ranking National Officer told CITY LAWYER that the last straw was the withdrawal of the AGM Notice by the General Secretary, adding that “It is a huge disrespect to National Officers. If any National Officer exceeds his or her powers, there are bound to be sanctions. Several options are open to us.”

CITY LAWYER also gathered that the NBA-NEC is worried that Oduah may continue with her “disruptive attitude,” adding that “No-one knows what she would do next. This has to be dealt with.”

There are however indications that some National Officers are not certain about the constitutionality of the impeachment move. “I do not know whether we have such powers. But rest assured that whatever we do will be based on law and the NBA Constitution,” a National Officer told CITY LAWYER, adding that “We will not take any arbitrary decision, notwithstanding the egregious and longstanding infractions of the General Secretary.”

When CITY LAWYER contacted Oduah, she said she was not invited to the meeting. “I have not received any Notice of Meeting,” she said. “I believe it was a virtual meeting. No ZOOM link was sent to me. At any rate, I am the one who should issue any Notice of Meeting. It is like shaving one’s head in his absence.”

Oduah also queried the legality of the planned impeachment, saying “The National Executive Committee has no such powers. It is only the NBA-NEC or the General Meeting that can remove an officer. This is not about me but about the office of the General Secretary.”

CITY LAWYER recalls that Akpata issued a disclaimer against a notice by Oduah withdrawing earlier notices by her and the Assistant General Secretary, Uche Nwadialo.

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‘MAIKYAU, BALA, OTHERS WON’T BE SWORN IN IF…,’ SAYS APPEALS C’TE

The 2022 NBA Election Appeals Committee (NBA-NEAC)  has vowed that no elected candidate from the recent NBA Elections would be sworn in until it has decided any petition against the elected officer.

The NBA-NEAC stated this in its Guidelines for filing petitions on the elections.

According to the Committee, “The decision of the NBA-NEAC shall be rendered, and notified in writing to the Petitioner and the Respondents, before the swearing-in of the elected National Officers or before the
Representatives of the Association in the General Council of the Bar takes office.”

NBA-NEAC however stated that “whenever the circumstances dictate, the Committee may reserve its right to defer giving the full reasons for its decision to a later date.”

The statement reads: “As you already know, the election into the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the General Council of the Bar (GCB), took place on Saturday, the 16th day of July 2022. The result of the election was consequently announced on Sunday, the 17th day of July 2022.

“In line with the provisions of Section 14(1)(L) of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2021), the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata had set up the 2022 NBA Election Appeals Committee (NBA-NEAC) with the mandate to amongst other responsibilities, receive and determine complaints and disputes (Petition) from candidates who took part in the elections of National Officers and Representatives of the NBA in the GCB.

“It is expected that a Petitioner shall send his/her Petition with supporting documents to NBA-NEAC by email to electionappeal@nigerianbar.org.ng within Ten (10) days of the announcement of the election results by the ECNBA.”

Click here for the full text of the guidelines.

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‘MY APPRECIATION AND CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE,’ BY EDE ASENOGUAN

The 2022 national election of the Nigerian Bar Association has come and gone and a new leadership that will pilot the affairs of our great Association for the next two years has been elected. We had offered ourself for service to the Bar in the capacity of General Secretary in the said election which offer was not accepted by majority of the votes of our members. We accept the decision and wish to congratulate all those that emerged as the choice of the majority of our members.

I want to give special gratitude to God Almighty for the grace, privilege and enablement to have participated in the process. It was indeed a daunting, tedious and time sapping venture. However, I must say that it was also a very worthwhile experience for me. It saw me meeting and making new friends and building networks of unquantifiable value both personally and professionally. I therefore have no regrets whatsoever in having been part of the process.

I congratulate very heartily all the newly elected national officers led by the President elect Mr Y.C Maikyau SAN, and especially my good friend and brother Adesina Adegbite the General Secretary elect against whom I ran. I wish you well my brother and do believe that you will deliver on your mandate and take our Secretariat to the next level in positive and progressive terms. Indeed the Bar is the ultimate winner.

I congratulate the Olu Akpata led administration for delivering a seamless transition process and for the enormous achievements the administration has recorded.

As your tenure gradually winds down, it is my sincere wish that the new and incoming leadership consolidates on the outstanding milestones that your administration has achieved and laid.

To my teeming supporters and friends nationwide too numerous to mention here for purposes of brevity, I wish to thank you all so immensely for not only believing in me but for the courage to stand by me through the entire process against all odds. You guys are the real champions.

Your support for me, no doubt, was the booster or tonic that energized us to achieve all that we achieved.

I appreciate you all and want to encourage you that though we didn’t emerge winner, we didn’t loose. Loosing is in not having the courage to dare, We dared!

I therefore want to urge you not to be downcast or sad, but to hold your head up high knowing that we did our best in offering our time and making sacrifices in the service to the Bar.

To those, who I or any of my supporters may have offended in the course of the campaigns, I take absolute responsibility and apologise for same.

They were not deliberate or intended. Please forgive us even as we forgive those who we also perceive may have offended, betrayed or disappointed us.
I thank you all so very much for the love and friendship shown me. Be rest assured that i do not take it lightly. Bigger and better days ahead.

God bless you all.

Osamuede Asenoguan

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ECNBA PUBLISHES ELECTION MAGAZINE, LINKS FOR PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has released the Election Magazine for the 2022 NBA Elections.

This is in line with the Second Schedule to the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended) which provides in Part IV Article 16 that “The Electoral Committee shall collate all materials, arrange them in alphabetical order without regard for the position being sought and publish them in an electronic Election Magazine to be hosted on the NBA website at least thirty (30) clear days before the election.”

It would however seem that the Electoral Committee has missed the 30-day constitutional requirement to publish the Election Magazine, given that the election is barely 10 days away.

The documents are published separately for candidates to be elected as National Officers and candidates for election as NBA Representatives to the General Council of the Bar (GCB).

Meanwhile, the committee has also released the links for the Manifesto Day & Presidential Debate scheduled to hold tomorrow at NBA House, Abuja.

A notice sighted by CITY LAWYER reads:

ECNBA’s Manifesto Day and Presidential Debate holds on Thursday, 7 July 2022 by 10am at the Auditorium, NBA House, Plot 1101 Cadastral Zone Central Business District, Abuja FCT. This is a hybrid event and as such, members of the NBA can attend physically or virtually.

To this end, please use the following https://bit.ly/ecnbamanifestoday to register if you would be attending physically. All question(s) may be sent in advance to info@ecnba.ng

Meanwhile, for all those that would be attending the event virtually, find below the links for virtual participation https://www.ecnba.ng/live; https://bit.ly/ecnbalive

 

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MORE ASPIRANTS EMERGE FOR NBA ELECTIONS

Following the publication of list of aspirants for the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Assocaition (NBA) Election, more aspirants have confirmed to CITY LAWYER their interest in the election.

Among those who have confirmed submission of nomination forms to CITY LAWYER are Mr. Abdullahi Muhammad, immediate past Secretary of NBA Gwagwalada Branch who is gunning for the post of NBA Third Vice President; Mr. Ebuka Nwaeze, former Secretary and erstwhile Financial Secretary of Unity Bar who has put in papers for the General Council of the Bar (GCB), and Mr. Abdulssalam Mohammed Saleh, Welfare Secretary at Unity Bar who is vying for the post of Assistant General Secretary.

Also confirmed are Sir Samuel Nwosu, outgoing NBA Ukwa Branch Chairman; Adaeze Anah of NBA Abuja Branch and Mr. Daud Sulaiman of NBA Gwagwalada Branch who are all vying for the position of NBA Representative in the General Council of the Bar and .

There are strong indications that the list of aspirants will be more than what is already in the public domain when the electoral committee publishes it.

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Apr 20, 2022
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  • Comments Off on MORE ASPIRANTS JOIN NBA ELECTION RACE, SUBMIT NOMINATION FORMS

MORE ASPIRANTS JOIN NBA ELECTION RACE, SUBMIT NOMINATION FORMS

More aspirants have confirmed that they submitted Nomination Forms for the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) elections into the General Council of the Bar and the National Executive Council.

Virtually all the aspirants who CITY LAWYER predicted in its earlier report would join the race confirmed that they had submitted their nomination forms. Aside from Linda Rose Bala and Ede Asenoguan whose close aides confirmed their submission, the other aspirants confirmed the submission of their nomination forms to CITY LAWYER.

There are strong indications that many aspirants submitted their nomination forms yesterday, even as there may be a few new entrants during the elections. Former NBA Welfare Secretary, Mr. Joshua Enemali and longstanding NBA rapporteur Anne Agi told CITY LAWYER that they have submitted nomination forms to vie for a position in the Bar Council, even as Mr. Churchill Aniekwena of NBA Barnawa Branch said he has joined the race for Welfare Secretary. Another new entrant to the race is global President of African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Mandy Asagba who is gunning for the post of 3rd Vice President while impeccable sources told CITY LAWYER that Mr. Maximus Ugwuoke of NBA Enugu Branch is also vying for the post of Welfare Secretary.

Below are some of the aspirants who CITY LAWYER had confirmed submission of their nomination forms.

PRESIDENT
The battle for the NBA Presidency remains a three-legged tussle between Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN, Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau SAN and Mr. Jonathan Taidi. While Gadzama is the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC), Maikyau is the Chairman of the NBA Welfare Committee. On his part, Taidi is the immediate past NBA General Secretary.

GENERAL SECRETARY
Aside from the presidential race, the election for the post of General Secretary is poised to be between five gladiators. While Messrs Adesina Adegbite, Desmond Yamah, Ewenode William and Collins Ogiegbaen confirmed submission of nomination forms to CITY LAWYER, Ede Asenoguan’s confidante told CITY LAWYER that he submitted his nomination form yesterday.

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Zoned to the “Northern Zone,” Idris Doko Muhammad of NBA Lagos Branch confirmed submission of nomination form while an unimpeachable source confirmed that Linda Rose Bala has submitted her nomination form for the race for the pivotal seat of NBA First Vice President. Calls to Messrs Yakubu Saleh Bawa and Liman Salihu received no response. Bala is former NBA Legal Adviser while Bawa is current Chairman of NBA Jos Branch. On his part, Salihu is former Chairman of NBA Lokoja Branch

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
The post of Second Vice President has been ‘micro-zoned’ to the Core East by the influential Eastern Bar Forum (EBF). Among those who confirmed submission of nomination forms to CITY LAWYER are the immediate past NBA Bwari Branch Chairman, Mr. Clement Chukwuemeka (aka “Democrats”); his NBA Owerri Branch counterpart, Mr. Damian Nosike, and Dr. Gerald Abonyi, pioneer NBA Obollo-Afor Branch Chairman. Mr. Anthony Chukwurah of NBA Gwagwalada Branch and Mr. Finian Eze  Ndukwu of NBA Mbaise Branch also told CITY LAWYER that they have joined the race for Second Vice President.

THIRD VICE PRESIDENT
Zoned to the “Western Zone” comprising Egbe Amofin O’odua and Midwest Bar blocs, CITY LAWYER can confirm that at least three aspirants are now in the race. While former NBA Ota Branch Chairman, Mr. Isaac Omuta Ogbah and Mr. Promise Ademi-Akpeto confirmed submission of their nomination forms to CITY LAWYER, unimpeachable sources told CITY LAWYER that AWLA global President, Mandy Asagba has also joined the race.

TREASURER
Among the aspirants who have confirmed submission of nomination forms to CITY LAWYER are former NBA Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chuks Mbamala of NBA Enugu Branch; current NBA Epe Branch Vice Chairman and NBA-SPIDEL Committee Treasurer, Funmi Adeogun; former Vice Chairman of NBA Lafia Branch and current Treasurer, NBA Women Forum (NBAWF), Safiya Balarabe as well as Caroline Ladidi Anze-Bishop, former Vice Chairman and former NEC Representative, NBA Bukuru Branch.

WELFARE SECRETARY
Immediate past NBA Assistant Secretary, Chinyere Obasi and former NBA Barnawa Branch Welfare Secretary, Mr. Churchill Aniekwena have confirmed submission of nomination forms for the post of Welfare Secretary. Meanwhile, impeccable sources told CITY LAWYER that Mr. Maximus Ugwuoke of Enugu Branch has now joined the race. CITY LAWYER also reliably gathered that NBA Welfare Committee member and co-opted NEC member, Mr. Auta Nyada has submitted his nomination form. 

PUBLICITY SECRETARY
This is a tripodal race between the immediate past Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr. Habeeb Akorede Lawal; current NBA Welfare Committee Secretary, Ogaga Emoghanre, and the latest entrant, Mr. Felix Chukwuma Ashimole (aka Che Oyinatumba), a former NBA Bwari Branch Secretary and former Member of NBA Anti-Corruption Committee. All three aspirants have confirmed submission of nomination forms to CITY LAWYER.

ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY
This race may present a crowded field of aspirants. The aspirants who have confirmed to CITY LAWYER that they submitted nomination forms are the current NBA Ikorodu Branch Secretary, Mr. Oluwaseun Aka; incumbent NBA Ilorin Branch Vice Chairman, Mr. Dhikrullah Adewale Balogun; Mr. Daniel Kip of Calabar, and Mr. Oseme Peremene Anthony, former NBA Idemili Branch Chairman.

ASSISTANT PUBLICITY SECRETARY
This may be a straight fight between Mr. Charles Ajiboye who also contested for the position during the last election and Mr. Akachukwu Nwoye, current NBA Gwagwalada Branch Secretary. Both aspirants told CITY LAWYER that they have submitted their nomination forms for the election. 

GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE BAR
Among those itching to represent the Bar at the Bar Council are former NBA Welfare Secretary, Mr. Joshua Enemali and Ms. Anne Agi; current NBA Aba Branch Vice Chairman, Mr. Victor Onweremadu who may have jettisoned his initial quest for the position of Welfare Secretary, and Mr. Femi Onakoya of NBA Lagos Branch.

CITY LAWYER also gathered that many aspirants including some senior advocates have shown serious interest in slugging it out for a place in the General Council of the Bar.

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