‘WHERE IS ABDULRASHEED BAWA?’ ASKS CHIDI ODINKALU

Around 6 February 2005, John Githongo, Permanent Secretary in Kenya’s Presidency responsible for Governance and Ethics, resigned after only two years in the role. As Michaela Wrong narrates in her vicarious memoir of Githongo’s tenure, his resignation letter was transmitted from an anonymous grocer’s shop in London at the beginning of what turned out to be a three-year-long exile. He had fled the job “fearing he could be murdered.”

When he took up the position in 2003, Githongo had arrived with energy and ideas from a senior role in global corruption watch-dog, Transparency International. Corruption, he told Ms. Wrong, “could only be fought from the top.” The main lesson from his two years on the job, instead, appeared to be that fighting corruption was also most usually frustrated from the top.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who had her own run-ins with trying to keep the country on the tarmac as Finance Minister, titled her memoirs on public finance reforms: Fighting Corruption is Dangerous. The New York Times described Githongo’s experience as “a cautionary tale about the dangers of challenging a thoroughly corrupted system.” Such tales have become the staple of a succession of bedraggled tenures of chief executives of Nigeria’s leading anti-corruption institution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

By some coincidence, the EFCC’s first Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, took his job in the same year that President Mwai Kibaki appointed John Githongo to his position as the presumptive Czar of anti-corruption in the country. The year after his appointment, Ribadu reached an agreement with the Nigeria Police College, Ikeja, to train cadets for the EFCC. Among the graduates from the Course 1 Cadet cohort in 2004 was one Abdulrasheed Bawa.

The brief of the EFCC, meanwhile, ran up against constitutional design and cynical politics. Although the Commission is empowered primarily to ensure accountability through criminal prosecutions, ultimate control of that function under Nigeria’s constitution lies not with the Chairman of the EFCC but with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, who sits in Cabinet, where the EFCC Chair does not. What the president gives to the EFCC Chair, he can take away by sleight of hand, a nod, or a wink in the direction of his Attorney-General.

Within two years at the beginning of the Millennium, Nigeria had created two anti-corruption institutions where one would easily have served. In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo first established the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, better known as the ICPC, to fight routine bureaucratic malefaction.

But Nigeria was on the receiving end of sovereign stress from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for allegations of high profile international financial crimes involving a joint enterprise of private citizens and public institutions, which made the rehabilitation of the country’s international credit rather frustrating. Somewhat under international duress, therefore, President Obasanjo established the EFCC to help him create the impression that the country was serious about this problem. The motive for the EFCC, it seemed clear from inception, was both instrumental and performative. That was clear enough to the politicians who created it. Most of the leaders of the institution since, however, liked to pretend to the contrary.

The EFCC volubly advertises its relative success against the most notorious advance fee fraud syndicates but has proved entirely inept in bringing to account senior politicians, who have turned Nigeria into an object of abject pillage and plunder, often with the collusion of a succession of occupants of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Successive Chairs of the Commission have ended all ended up tarnished and hounded.

Nuhu Ribadu was a dashing 40-year old police officer and lawyer who came to national prominence at the turn of the millennium representing his employers before the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission headed by Justice Chukwudifu Oputa. He brought that gusto to his role as the pioneer chair of the EFCC where he seemed to command considerable bandwidth with then president, Olusegun Obasanjo to the point of holding sway in decisions over who was eliminated from the line of succession as Obasanjo’s tenure wound to a close.

A 2006 US Embassy Cable disclosed by Wikileaks feared that the work of fighting corruption under him was “widely perceived to be nothing more than a political witch hunt by President Obasanjo”. Human Rights Watch famously criticized him as preoccupied with the pursuit of “more headlines than convictions.” As Githongo made his way back to Nairobi from three years in exile in 2008, Ribadu was headed out to his own exile of about the same duration after suffering multiple humiliations and exposure to worse at the hands of Obasanjo’s successors.

The tenure of Farida Waziri, the retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, who succeeded Ribadu at the EFCC, seemed ill-fated from the beginning. According to another cable also disclosed by Wikileaks, Mrs. Waziri was a client of the same politicians whom she was supposed to investigate and her every step seemed to be dogged by suspicion and controversy. A few months into his elected tenure in November 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan mercifully relieved Mrs. Waziri of her position citing “national interest.”

Ibrahim Lamorde, who replaced Mrs. Waziri in 2011, was sacked in November 2015, barraged by allegations by the National Assembly very much redolent of the kind that he should have been investigating against those who were hounding him.

His successor, Ibrahim Magu, had the distinction of serving his tenure without Senate confirmation. On 6 July 2020, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), arrested Mr. Magu and detained him for interrogation in connection with allegations of corruption.

Abdulrasheed Bawa was the first Chairman of the EFCC who was not a Police Officer. A lifelong staff of the Commission, Bawa was barely 40 when he was appointed to the role in February 2021 in somewhat controversial circumstances. On 14 June, 2023, the presidency announced his suspension from office for opaque reasons given as “weighty allegations of abuse of office”. More than 120 days later, Bawa remains disappeared, reportedly an unacknowledged hostage of the SSS, his location unknown and undisclosed.

At least three aspects of Bawa’s fate merit attention. First, a government that claims democratic legitimacy should not be in the business of disappearing citizens, irrespective of what they are accused of. Whatever the allegations against Mr. Bawa are, they cannot justify putting him beneath the constitution.

Second, Nigeria’s constitution prohibits administrative detention, which is exactly what has become Mr. Bawa’s fate. Nigerians did not suffer that silently from military dictators. An administration led by those who claim to have resisted the abuses of military rule should not be caught now replaying the playbook that they reviled. If there are serious allegations against Mr. Bawa, he deserves to be brought to account administratively in line with the service regulations of his employers or before a court of law. Neither option warrants his indefinite disappearance.

Third, established under the National Security Agencies Act, the powers of the SSS are limited to investigation and enforcement of crimes “against the internal security of Nigeria.” Allegations of “abuse of power”, which the presidency claims to be the reason for Bawa’s suspension, would appear to be outside the scope of the SSS.

The standard response to this is that Mr. Bawa is receiving a taste of the medicine of institutional caprice that his EFCC meted out to suspects. The shortcomings of the EFCC under successive leaderships since its inception, including its investigation and detainee management protocols, are well documented. However, the habit of terminating successive leaders of the institution into political persecution is independent of that pattern.

Ironically restored under the current regime to public service as National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who bears indelible scars from being hounded into exile as pioneer chair of the EFCC, today supervises the disappearance of Abdulrasheed Bawa in complicit silence.

Nigeria’s politicians may be interested only in co-opting the language of fighting corruption but citizens have a duty to care that corruption is not enabled with official impunity. The disappearance of Mohammed Bawa is not merely a violation of the standards of Nigeria’s laws and constitution; it also ensures that the job of fighting impunity for grand corruption in Nigeria does not stand any chance of success.

A lawyer and a teacher, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu

To join our CITY LAWYER Channel on WhatsApp, click here

To join our Telegram platform, click here 

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, 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.

‘TINUBU’S INEC CERTIFICATE NOT FROM US,’ SAYS CHICAGO VARSITY

Chicago State University (CSU) has stated that the certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Tinubu did not emanate from the university.

Following over five hours grilling by lawyers to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, CSU’s Registrar Caleb Westberg also said that Tinubu neither applied for a replacement certificate nor received one.

He stated that such duplicate diplomas are currently sourced from third-party vendors, even as he insisted that Tinubu is the same person that graduated from CSU in 1979.

He also told the team of interrogators during a deposition ordered deposition that “The university does not typically keep Diplomas. I have the Diploma that was made available to Mr. Enahoro-Ebah in our possession because Mr. Tinubu did not pick it up.”

“We believe Bola Tinubu who attended CSU is the same person who is the president of Nigeria today”, Westberg said during the deposition done on Tuesday in the office of Atiku’s lawyer, Angela Liu, at West Wacker Drive in Chicago.

Five other lawyers from the firm Dechert LLP joined in the deposition. President Tinubu was represented by Victor P.Henderson and Oluwole Afolabi, who joined the session by zoom from New York.

Michael Hayes appeared for Chicago State University.

Pressed further by the battery of lawyers representing Atiku on why he believes the person who is the president of Nigeria is the same person who attended CSU, Westberg said Bola Tinubu is an unusual name in the US.

He matched the Records in the file against the information provided by the student or on behalf of the student.

On the controversy over whether the student the school admitted in 1977 ffrom South West College was a man on woman, Westberg said Tinubu applied to the university as a male and a letter of admission was issued to a male.

On the certificates tendered in the documents given to Atiku, the registrar restated that the university only has Diplomas that students didn’t pick up in its possession.

“The university does not typically keep Diplomas.I have the Diploma that was made available to Mr. Enahoro-Ebah in our possession because Mr. Tinubu did not pick it up.

“I do not have the Diploma that was submitted to INEC in our possession because he had picked it up.’

“Why would Mr. Tinubu request a Diploma and not pick it up or ask that it be sent to him?”, one of Atiku’s lawyers asked.

Westberg replied: “You would have to ask him, that is Bola Tinubu”.

Here are other things Westberg deposed to: “I’m not aware of any instance where CSU had been requested to certify a document.Mr. Wole Afolabi who was acting for President Tinubu insisted that the documents must be certified. Mr. Wole Afolabi is President Tinubu’s lawyer. Mr. Afolabi and Mr. Orr communicated by email.

“I don’t recall seeing the emails. I don’t know if Jason Carter approved of the certification. Apart from Jason Carter I do not know anyone else who was involved in the process.

“I went into Mr. Tinubu’s student’s file and produced the documents to Mr. Orr. I didn’t know that the documents would be certified. I don’t get involved in legal matters.

“Mr. Tinubu requested that the documents be released to Mr. Afolabi for ‘legal proceedings’ The signature on the consent form is similar to the signature we have on record for Mr. Tinubu.

“All of the certified documents came from CSU’s files. Nothing was handed over to us by Mr. Afolabi except for the FERPA form. CSU had never certified documents for anyone before. It must have been made because there was more of a Nigerian thing.

“The documents were released in pursuance of a FERPA request. I believe Mr. Afolabi requested that the documents be certified. I’m not aware if the stamp affixed by Mr. Orr to the documents was an official document. It is not part of CSU practice.

“Mr. Orr later departed from CSU after these documents were certified.I don’t know if his departure was connected to the certification of the documents; but I don’t think it was.

“Mr. Tinubu’s counsel did not prepare any affidavit for me. He didn’t draft anything for me. My statement that Mr. Bola Tinubu graduated from CSU was based on the transcripts in our possession.

“I have never met Bola Tinubu. I have never seen him. He did not visit our campus. He does not donate money to the school.

“In the US, Diplomas are considered merely ceremonial documents. In some other countries, it may be considered more. In the US, more reliance is placed on transcripts and not on Diplomas.

“I did not rely on information from public records to come to the conclusion that President Bola Tinubu is the person who attended CSU. I am not aware that the FBI contacted CSU on whether Bola Tinubu attended CSU.

“Between 1979 and when I assumed duties, CSU must have had at least 6 Registrars. I never spoke to Ms. Davies. Some policies have changed over the years. When there is a replacement Diploma, it is done by outside vendors. I don’t know who created Exhibit # 6.
The institution decided that my name should not be typed on the ‘To whom it may concern’ letter because of the sheer volume of requests I was getting.

“Before CSU, I was at UC, Berkeley and UC, Irving. I’m sure people make mistakes in data entry from time to time. Before this lawsuit I didn’t know anyone called Bola.

“It was possible that someone assumes Bola to be a female and therefore marked the SouthWest Transcript as such.

“I am familiar with the affidavit filed by OLAJIDE Adeniji. I don’t recall his gender.I don’t know if Atiku Abubakar is male or female but I heard is a male. I can’t tell by his name.

“I checked the record and confirmed that OLAJIDE Adeniji and Bola Tinubu were at CSU at the same time. The person said he ran in a closely- contested race against Bola Tinubu for the leadership of the Accounting Student Union.

“I see that he said the same person he ran against is now the president of Nigeria. The Bola Tinubu who attended Southwest College took Accounting courses. The Bola Tinubu who attended CSU also took Accounting courses. I see the address indicated for Bola Tinubu. It’s not far from CSU. I looked at the whole record in making the determination that the Bola Tinubu who is the president of Nigeria today is the same person who attended CSU.

“The entries’1952’ and ‘1954’ could have been made in error. The person who attended Southwest College is the person who attended CSU. The courses taken by Bola Tinubu at Southwest and CSU are consistent.

“Right after the entry ‘F’, the SSN entered indicated in the Southwest transcript is the same as the one that was indicated in CSU records. That is one of the indications that we use to identify students. A Social Security is a unique identifier.

“I recognize Southwest College as a feeder school for CSU. Bola Tinubu graduated with Honours. It’s a GPA distinction. It is awarded to high performing students. Accounting is a rigorous Major. He graduated with Honours. Yes, certain students are more motivated than others.

“The students who are more motivated go on to accomplish greater things in life. I’ve seen that. As far as I know, he’s the president of Nigeria.

“There were materials in Mr. Tinubu’s records that show that he was a male. I see the application to CSU. Mr. Tinubu identified himself as a male. His letter of admission identified him as a male. It says: ‘Dear Mr. Tinubu’

“We know Mr. Tinubu’s Social Security number. It’s contained in his records.

“I see the entry on APC’s website wherein President Bola Tinubu was said to have been born in Lagos on March 29, 1952. I don’t have a copy of the Diploma that was submitted to INEC so I can’t comment on it.

“I am not aware of the fact that in the form that he submitted to INEC he claimed a different nationality or date of birth.

“Yes, our records show that he was born on March 29th. One has ‘1954’ while the other shows ‘1952’ From time to time, people do make mistakes when making such entries”.

To join our CITY LAWYER Channel on WhatsApp, click here

To join our Telegram platform, click here 

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, 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.

EXCLUSIVE: ‘HOW NDIFON SEXUALLY HARASSED STUDENTS, RIGGED LAW SCHOOL LIST’ – UNICAL PANEL (FULL REPORT)

The probe panel set up by the University of Calabar to investigate allegations of sexual harassment of female students, misconduct and abuse of office by the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, has adjudged him guilty of “gross misconduct.”

In a report of the panel obtained by CITY LAWYER, the panel “established the serial violations of some of the extant rules and regulations.” The report is titled “REPORT OF THE PANEL SET UP TO INVESTIGATE ALLEDGED  (SIC) MISCONDUCT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ABUSE OF OFFICE LEVELLED AGAINST PROFESSOR CYRIL OSIM NDIFON, SUSPENDED DEAN OF FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR.”

The panel was regaled with accounts of sexual harassment by 10 current and former students of the university, even as one of the witnesses, a 200-level student, told the panel that the suspended Dean told her that “she would be answerable to every sexual call put across to her….” CITY LAWYER participated in some of the panel’s hearings via the Zoom platform.

According to the report, “Prof. Ndifon called her to come to the office the next day and when she came, he locked the office and brought out his penis and told her that if she sucked his penis, he would accept her into the Faculty. After much pressure from the suspended Dean and feeling frustrated, this survivor gave in and sucked his penis and almost got choked as Prof. Ndifon held her head while forcing his penis into her mouth.”

The panel report also contains details of “24 mobilized students for law school Admission whose results were not cleared,” indicating that the Nigerian Law School list from the university may have been rigged by the suspended Law teacher.

In one instance, the panel stated that “This candidate’s name is not in the screened list of the final year law students. However, she is mobilized for law school.” In another case, the panel stated that “Further (name withheld) did not take Jurisprudence a core course but is mobilized for law school.”

On “Major Misconduct,” the panel “established that the suspended Dean, Prof. Cyril Osim Ndifon was using his official position to both intimidate and bargain for sexual favour from female students in the Faculty of Law.”

Turning to “Gross Misconduct,” the panel “established that the suspended Dean had been involved in students’ exploitation. Elaborately, he had been perpetrating cruelty against students by forestalling the graduation of especially some female students at the appropriate time by withholding and refusing to release their results and threatening some that they would never graduate from the Faculty or go to the law School.”

The panel also “established that the suspended Dean was compelling the law students to pay for a Faculty Journal that was non- existent for three consecutive academic sessions.”

The panel recommended “That the suspended Dean of law should face the statutory Disciplinary Committee of the University of Calabar for appropriate sanctions applicable to acts of both Major and Gross – misconduct. The panel makes this recommendation in view of Prof. Ndifon’s antecedents in the Faculty of Law, which from the testimonies given by both staff and students are in clear violations of the extant rules and regulations governing the conditions of service of staff of the University of Calabar. He has used his position as a lecturer and his position as Dean of the Faculty of Law for non- edifying purposes, frustrating, traumatizing and jeopardizing the future of some of the students, as well as the lecturers.”

It also recommended that “The suspended Dean should be made to refund over three million naira (N3m) realized from the payments made by the law students for the Law Journal which he neither published nor gave to the students.

“That the acting Dean should without delay arrange internal defense for Barrister Anne Eruegi Agi to defend her Ph.D and encourage same to put in for promotion in the next promotion exercise.

“That the university should make a rule to stop lecturers from asking students to come and see them at odd (after official) hours and if need be, encourage the culture of not locking their offices when consulting with students. This is consistent with global best practice.

“The university should bend backwards so as to come to the aid of some law students who have been roaming around because of the lapses in the Faculty of Law over the years. There should be a call for such to come for supplementary examinations or mop up. This will go a long way to help the University gain the confidence among stakeholders and prove to the wider society that the University cares and is not indifferent.

“Further steps should be taken to clean up the mess in the Faculty of Law. The seeds of discord planted over the years need to be uprooted. The culture of borderization seems to be entrenched both among staff and students. Such is unhealthy for academic standards, discipline and merit…. It is indeed possible with God on the side of the University for old things to pass away and for everything to become new in the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Calabar.”

The report stated that Ndifon “was properly invited thrice by the Panel to come and defend himself but he failed to appear. The invitations were done through written memos, text and WhatsApp messages, as well as radio announcements. The panel had to rely on his responses to the 10 point query issued to him by the University as guidance.”

One of the terms of reference for the panel was “To thoroughly investigate cases of sexual harassment and molestation levelled against the suspended Dean of Law by female students and others who may have felt victimized.” Regarding this term of reference, the investigation panel received sworn statements from students and alumni of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, three written and signed statements from other survivors of same. Five alumni gave evidence via zoom while four current students appeared in person and gave evidence as follows ….”

CITY LAWYER recalls that some students of the Faculty of Law had protested alleged sexual harassment and other infractions by the suspended Dean of Law.

Though Women Affairs Minister, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye had told CITY LAWYER that Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu had waded into the matter, UNICAL Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Banku Obi told CITY LAWYER that the university would leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the allegations.

According to Obi who spoke while receiving the report, copies of the report will be submitted to Ohanenye; Education Minister, Prof. Mamman Tahir (SAN), and the National Universities Commission (NUC).

To download the report, click here.

To join our CITY LAWYER Channel on WhatsApp, click here

To join our Telegram platform, click here 

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, 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.

INDEPENDENCE: ‘LET US FORTIFY RULE OF LAW’ – NIGERIAN LAW SOCIETY

October 1, 2023
COMMEMORATING NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY AND THE URGENT NEED TO FORTIFY OUR PILLARS OF JUSTICE
Dear Esteemed Colleagues,

As we celebrate our dear country’s Independence Day today, 1st of October, it is incumbent we reflect not only on our nation’s sovereignty and celebrate same vigorously, but also more importantly that we consider the urgent need for true independence within critical institutions, particularly our revered judiciary. Indeed, the need for free and independent institutions cannot be overemphasized; they are essential to our ever-growing democracy.

Therefore, this auspicious occasion underscores the imperative for autonomy in our judiciary, particularly in terms of true financial and operational independence. This is crucial for ensuring the unbiased administration of justice and the unwavering adherence to the rule of law. These are the very pillars upon which any just society stands.

Today, let us pause to pay tribute to the exceptional contributions of our diligent legal practitioners. Your unrelenting efforts and steadfast dedication to the administration of justice and the upholding of the rule of law constitute the very foundation of our legal system. Your unwavering commitment has paved the way for a more equitable and just society.

In the same breath, let us also take a moment to remember and mourn our fellow judicial officers, who have departed from us to the great beyond since the last Independence Day. Their dedication and service to our legal system shall forever be etched in our hearts.

As we honour their memories, let us also advocate for an increase in the wages of our judicial officers. Recognizing their invaluable contributions and ensuring their well-being is not only a gesture of gratitude but a commitment to the continued strength and integrity of our judicial system.

On this momentous day, let us also contemplate the paramount importance of fortifying the rule of law and the administration of justice in Nigeria. It is our collective duty to guarantee that justice is accessible, transparent, and impartial for every citizen.

Let us persist in our pursuit of a legal system characterized by transparency, accountability, and efficiency. By upholding the loftiest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, we contribute to a more robust and prosperous Nigeria.

May this Independence Day serve as a poignant reminder of the influence and obligation we hold, as custodians of the law, to shape a brighter future for Nigeria.

Yours sincerely,

Kunle Ogunba SAN,
President, Nigerian Law Society.

To join our CITY LAWYER Channel on WhatsApp, click here

To join our Telegram platform, click here 

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, 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.

TINUBU CONGRATULATES MAIKYAU ON HIS ELECTION

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flagbearer in the 2023 national elections, Senator Bola Tinubu has congratulated Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN on his election.

In a statement by the Tinubu Media Office titled “CONGRATULATORY STATEMENT TO YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, SAN ON HIS ELECTION AS PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION,” Tinubu said: “I congratulate Y.C. Maikyau, SAN on his emergence as the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), following the term expiration of the administration of Olumide Akpata.”

He said: “I, once more, commend and congratulate Y.C. Maikyau and the new executive leadership of the NBA. Their character and reputation have led to this moment of triumph and the absolute trust of their learned peers. I urge them all to maintain a commitment to the values I have espoused above and to the task of carrying the legal profession onto ever greater heights over the course of the next two years.”

The full statement is below:

PRESS STATEMENT

CONGRATULATORY STATEMENT TO YAKUBU CHONOKO MAIKYAU, SAN ON HIS ELECTION AS PRESIDENT OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION

I congratulate Y.C. Maikyau, SAN on his emergence as the 31st President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), following the term expiration of the administration of Olumide Akpata.

The commendations and peer endorsements that informed his election and have since trailed his official swearing-in, underscore Maikyau’s professional success as a legal practitioner and his suitability for the elevated position with which he has been entrusted. Such testimonials inspire absolute confidence in his capacity to fulfil his pledge to take the NBA towards its brightest future.

The Bar is an important institution, central to the growth and sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy, justice and the rule of law. It’s members are the sworn defenders of our entire system of justice; the edifice undergirding our development, government accountability and respect for fundamental human rights. No nation can survive for long in the absence of these essential values or, therefore, without a well-functioning and organised legal profession.

I, once more, commend and congratulate Y.C. Maikyau and the new executive leadership of the NBA. Their character and reputation have led to this moment of triumph and the absolute trust of their learned peers. I urge them all to maintain a commitment to the values I have espoused above and to the task of carrying the legal profession onto ever greater heights over the course of the next two years.

I wish the new NBA administration the very best in all its future endeavours and pray, earnestly, that under their stewardship, the ideal of the legal profession as the last best hope of the common man remains true and alive in our nation.

SIGNED

Tinubu Media Office
August 29, 2022.

To join our Telegram platform, please click here 

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 TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, 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.

NBA-AGC: ATIKU, PETER OBI, OTHERS CLASH AT FIRST DEBATE

In what may pass as their first presidential debate in the run-up to the 2023 National Elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi went head-to-head yesterday at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC).

The presence of the leading presidential candidates confirms CITY LAWYER’s exclusive report that the duo would attend the event.

One of the highlights of the Opening Ceremony monitored by CITY LAWYER was the Keynote Address delivered by globally acclaimed writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Atiku and Obi were among five presidential candidates who gave insights on how they plan to turn Nigeria’s fortunes around if elected president at the forthcoming general elections. The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was conspicuously absent. Also absent was the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Tinubu was however represented by the party’s vice presidential candidate, former Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima.

Themed “Democratic Transitions in 21st Century Nigeria: 2023 & Beyond,” the face-off was moderated by former NBA President and NBA Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN.

The high-profile Opening Ceremony which held at the prestigious Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos was witnessed by leading jurists at the Bar and Bench.

Aside from speeches by the Local Organising Committee Chairman, Mr. Ikechukwu Uwanna; Technical Committee on Conference Planning (TCCP) Chairman, Mr. Tobenna Erojikwe and outgoing NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, Goodwill Messages were received from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who was represented by Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba as well as the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN).

Governors Solomon Lalong and Godwin Obaseki of Plateau and Edo states respectively also attended the conference as well as NBA President-elect, Mr. Yakubu Maiyau SAN and his rival during the recently concluded NBA Elections, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN.

According to a PUNCH newspaper report, Atiku and Obi flayed the Federal Government over the insecurity and economic crisis confronting the nation, stating that Nigeria possessed all the negative indices that qualified it as a failed state.

The two candidates agreed that 2023 is Nigeria’s decisive year, noting that the election is critical to the country’s existence. On his part, Shettima urged Nigerians to vote for their joint ticket because of their achievements as governors in Lagos and Borno states.

Ariwoola, Sanwo-Olu and Adichie were among speakers who advocated the reform of the Nigerian judiciary in order to position the country on the path of transformational change.

In his remarks, Atiku observed that the country is more disunited today than it had ever been since democracy took root in 1999, noting that Nigeria had never found itself in such a very critical situation in its history.

He stated that Nigeria had all the negative indices, adding that the nation had never experienced the current level of poverty, insecurity and unemployment. He noted that “Since the return of democracy in 1998/99, Nigeria has never found itself in such a very very critical point in our history.

“Today, we have had all the negative indices. Today, we are all disunited in the nation. We have never experienced this level of poverty. We have never experienced this state of insecurity. We have never experienced this level of unemployment. We have recognised all these negative development in our history.”

He added that the important thing was to tackle the challenges. “This is where history and experience beckon to us that we don’t get it wrong at this point in time. If we get it wrong, I don’t know when we will get it right,’’ he noted.

An online newspaper, The Cable reported that ex-vice-president revealed that he would hand over the federal universities to states if he was elected president. According to the report, Atiku said his administration’s reform would involve creating an enabling environment for foreign and local investors. The reforms, he further explained, would include healthcare and education ‘’because the government alone cannot bring about development.’’

He stated, ‘’One of the fundamental reforms I have in my policy document is to encourage the private sector as far as the development of the country is concerned — both foreign and local. It is very essential because the federal government does not have the resources to do all the things that they want to do,” he said.

POWER DEVOLUTION
Shedding more light on his plans, he stated, “The only way is to make sure that a conducive environment is available for the local and foreign investors to participate in the development of our country, whether it is infrastructure, education and healthcare.

“I had an argument with a university professor from Federal University, Lokoja. He said he read in my policy document that I intend to devolve, in other words, to return education to the states. How dare I do that?

‘’I said: ‘Mr professor, do you realise that the first set of our universities belongs to the regional governments?’ He said, ‘yes’. I said ‘who are the successors of the regional government?’ He said: ‘the states’.

“I said the children you send to America or England; who owns those universities? Mostly, the private sector. So, why is it that you think we cannot do it here? We don’t have the money.”

Atiku posted on his Twitter page on Monday that he was at the NBA conference to give lawyers insights into his bold policy which he said embodies unity, security, economy, education and devolution of power to states and local governments.

The Labour Party presidential candidate, Obi in his remarks said ‘’the election will not be about tribe, religion, connection, entitlement, but it must be about competence capacity and commitment to deliver.” Obi said that Nigeria needs urgent transition from being a highly insecure country to a secured one and from a disunited country to a united one.

He added, “Nigeria has qualified to be a failed state. We have the two or three biggest characteristics of a failed state. One is when you are no longer in charge of your territory.

“Today, we are among the top terrorised countries in the world; we are among the top kidnapping countries in the world. Banditry has taken over part of the country and Nigerians are being killed.”

He called on Nigerians to elect the candidate with the capacity to rescue the nation from its current mess. “Nigeria is in a mess. We got here simply because of the accumulative effects of bad leadership. The coming election is not about tribe or religion but about character and competence. We need a bold transition from a highly insecure state to a highly secured state,’’ he noted.

The APC running mate, Shettima pointed out that his principal would replicate at the federal level the feats he recorded in Lagos when he was the governor. Shettima said they would hit the ground running if elected into office in 2023. He stressed that Tinubu is the man to beat because of his skill-set. “I aligned with the APC candidate because of his competence and performance,’’ he affirmed.

The vice-presidential candidate said as governor of Borno state, he facilitated the construction of the best schools in the country. “Nigerians have the capability to see through the worn-out rhetoric and sophistry of pretentious politicians,” he said in a veiled attack on his opponents.

“Nigerians should ‘follow the man wey know the road.’ From day one, we will hit the ground running. We’ll promptly address the issue of the economy, ecology, and security.

“And we have the antecedents. I built some of the best schools in Nigeria. Go to Borno and see wonders; you will never believe that it is a state in a state of war. So, we are going to replicate our achievements in Lagos, in Borno and some of the frontline states so that our nation will be a better place.’’

Shettima asked the NBA delegates to make an informed decision in changing the narrative of leadership in the 2023 general elections, saying his principal is the man to beat. He urged lawyers to choose a leader that has established records, stating that he had mentored men and women.

ADICHIE ON HEROES
The guest speaker at the conference, Adichie in her keynote address said the country was in disarray and needed heroes to save it. She said, “Nigeria is in disarray; things are hard and getting harder by the day. We can’t be safe when there is no rule of law. Nigerians are starved of heroes to look up to.

“Late Dora Akunyili and Gani Gawehimmi were heroes that Nigerians looked up to before now. Unfortunately, that era has gone. I believe that NBA is in a position to give the nation heroes that we can look up to lead the nation.’’

Stressing the imperative of justice, the author of Half of a Yellow Sun and other books, further said, “As long as we refuse to untangle the knot of injustice, peace cannot thrive. If we don’t talk about it, we fail to hold leaders accountable and we turn what should be transparent systems into ugly opaque cults.’’

She submitted that many people who have abused their positions in Nigeria would regard the NBA as troublesome. Adichie called for an incorruptible judicial system and advised the NBA to leverage technology in the judicial process and the administration of justice in the country.

“As the NBA continues to fight the abuse of power, it must also look inward not to be corrupted,’’ the award winning author admonished.

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo lamented that the country’s crude oil was being stolen by the government. Adebayo advised the conference participants to be suspicious of every statistic being given.

The presidential candidates of the African Democratic Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu and retired Justice Peter Umeadi also spoke at the conference.

Earlier, Justice Ariwoola said the Bar and Bench must return to the days when the ethics of the legal profession was upheld and enforced. He said that the justice sector is very important to the survival of Nigeria so all stakeholders must ensure that it is protected and improved upon so it can continue to provide hope for the masses.

Also speaking at the conference, which has over 13,000 delegates in attendance, Sanwo-Olu said the state’s judicial system had upheld the legacies of the past administration in the improvement of the legal practice. His words: “We have continually transformed our structures, building new courtrooms, renovating existing ones, to create a more conducive environment for our judges and to efficiently administer justice.’’

“I can boldly say that no state takes the funding of the judiciary as seriously as Lagos State, and this is a legacy that has been sustained by successive administrations since 1999,” he said.

NBA PRESIDENT SPEAKS
On his part, Akpata said it was the greatest privilege of his life to have piloted the association.

To join our Telegram platform, please click here 

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 TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, 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.