The newly sworn-in President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata; and some other Senior Advocates of Nigeria have condemned the move by northern lawyers in the country to form a parallel association.

Some lawyers of northern extraction had, on Friday, formed the ‘New NBA,’ following the recent controversy that trailed the withdrawal of an invite to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, as a guest speaker at the association’s conference.

The breakaway group, in a statement by two lawyers, Nuhu Ibrahim (Convener 1) and Abdulbasit Suleiman (Convener 2), explained that the formation of the ‘New NBA’ was aimed at protecting their interests as enshrined under Section 40 of the constitution.

But the NBA president, in his inaugural speech on Friday, described the secession moves within the association as unfortunate and called for unity.

Akpata said, “I am not unaware of very recent events and agitations that have tended to divide our Bar along regional and religious lines. This is rather unfortunate for an egalitarian Association like ours.

“The Bar that I want to lead, henceforth, is one that is united on all fronts and that recognises that our diversity is, perhaps, our greatest strength. I plead with all Nigerian lawyers to bear this philosophy of unity in mind as we commence a new journey together today.”

In the same vein, Mr Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, noted that, although any group of persons could form an association, due to the right to freedom of association, the factionalised NBA might not stand the test of time.

Oyetibo said, “I can’t condemn any group of people who want to form an association because there is freedom of association and it’s their constitutional right.

“But the NBA has been in existence since the beginning of time and still remains the main focus of Nigerian lawyers. Whether it (New NBA) will stand is another thing.”

He maintained that there was only one association of Nigerian lawyers acceptable to everyone.

“What are their goals? What are their motives for setting up a faction? For now, all lawyers belong to the NBA.

“The NBA remains the official body acceptable to all lawyers, but if a sectional group arises, it can only remain sectional.”

Another SAN, Yusuf Ali, said, “It is normal in an organisation to have disagreements but it is not every disagreement that must lead to disintegration or factions. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Even as much as I have my own reservations, it does not mean that we now have to engage in the balkanisation of the association of the body of lawyers in the country.We should not allow our differences, particularly on ethnic and religious issues, to undermine our unity.”

Similarly, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who spoke at the handover of the NBA leadership on Friday, advised aggrieved members against forming an alternative association, vowing such a move would be resisted.

Ozekhome said, “So, drop all these issues of trying to form an alternative Bar, whether you call it new NBA or progressive NBA, it’s not going to work.

“The reason is that when you begin to create a different Bar, calling it, for example, Northern Bar or new Bar, then people, very soon, are going to start calling for Southern Nigerian Army, Southern Nigerian Navy, Western Nigerian Air Force, Eastern Nigeria Tax Authority etc; where are we heading to? That is nothing but balkanisation of Nigeria and God forbid.”

The development comes barely a week after the NBA dropped el-Rufai from its line-up of speakers at the NBA virtual conference held between August 24 and August 26.

A petition to stop the Kaduna governor from attending the conference, which was started by a lawyer, Usani Odum, had garnered over 3,400 signatures on Change.Org as of 6 pm on Thursday when the NBA tweeted its decision to uninvited el-Rufai.

The NBA, in a tweet on April 20, said, “The National Executive Committee of the NBA at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning Committee be withdrawn and the decision communicated to the governor.”

The ‘New NBA,’ on Friday, cited the controversy over the withdrawal of the invite to the governor, saying, “What has been happening recently has exposed the inability of the NBA to manage and contain the heterogeneity of its members, as well as their various interests. Its penal powers have been deployed discriminately on the basis of ethnicity and regionalism.

“As a body of lawyers, who have undergone training towards ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights and liberties, the NBA is supposed to live above sentiments, regionalism and discrimination on any basis and of any kind.

“Therefore, the NBA cannot afford to be seen not to be upholding the rights and freedom of its own members, if at all it should be seen to be practising what it preaches. As the Hausa saying goes, ‘Idan Kura tana maganin zaho, ta yi ma kanta (If a hyena has a cure for diarrhoea, let her use it for herself)."

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/akpata-sans-kick-as-northern-lawyers-form-parallel-nba/%3famp=1

It's obvious something is certainly wrong with this country.

This is definitely not the Nigeria our fathers died for
Seems to me we are living in 2 countries in one Republic.

Abeg jare , I will Design a Professional Logo for your product or Business for 2k Only.

Well, let's the NNBA continue so that the division will even get to the presidency to complete the cycle.After all, the government of the day have long polarized this nation along ethno-religious supremacist line.

Stupid move by Bokoharam Quota system Lawyers
Na una way or no way at all. Fools.
Useless incompetent lawyers that are only visible in Fed and state govts arenas.

Legal Almajiris that think backwards all the time.

Bokoharam commanding Govnor is bankrolling their agenda to imposing Sharia Lawyers on the rest of us. Koole werkk...!

Racoon:
Well, let's the NNBA continue so that the division will even get to the presidency to complete the cycle.After all, the government of the day have long polarized this nation along ethno-religious supremacist line.

Which tier of Government are you referring to? Federal, State, or Local Government? Charity they say begins at home, all politics is local.

the northerners will always be confusionist

Damnnnnn niggarrr
Problem

Fallout

All in all, the problem with the El rufai ban was the optics of the thing. It looked too much like an antinorthern thing and too less like a principled stand for good governance.

The annoying thing about it for me was that it also looked like the NBA was applying purity tests .

Having said that, my takeaway is not that el rufai was right;the guy has not handled the security issue or the minority rights issues in his state well, but that we are so inconsistent in this country.

Like Reno focusing on the corruption in APC while keeping quiet about the corruption in PDP and vice versa for people like Femi adesina and garba shehu.

Modified

Looking at the comments on the site, it seems like most Southerners think that their mercedes Benz is bigger than the Northern ones...

Ok

Upon all the ills of civilisation in the region including the amnesty for BH terrorists, these lawyers sees or hear no evil about it.The alleged blasphemer in Kano is about to be executed according to Sharia law without fair hearing they're unconcerned.BH affiliates claiming lawyers.

What consigns Northerners with NBA?

E don happen oo..infact this should happen sef..wether it will help to keep the push for secession ongoing in all our southern minds..

Nigeria has never been fixated on religion or tribe this bad..Something obviously triggered this, something changed..

Racoon:


https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/akpata-sans-kick-as-northern-lawyers-form-parallel-nba/%3famp=1

see d man face self

NBA

Wow


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This is indeed a sad development. We should discontinue to drive this regional wedge. If not, Nigeria may soon cease to exist

This is why Nigeria will never make progress as a nation. There is never a national interest, it is all ethnic and tribal interest

This is even better for the south. If they can extend this division to other things, it makes disintegration of this unworkable entity called Nigeria is easier

Let them go abeg


.

Nothing concerns me.

At this rate Very soon there will be southern army, southern air Force etc.
Currently southern president must happen after buhari no going back

inumidun2010:
Why do all these People Up-North believe they are Government on their own.. I believe most of them will be Practitioners of ISLAMIC LAW.. Very ODD THINKING

They're a bunch of confusionists!

Why do all these People Up-North believe they are Government on their own.. I believe most of them will be Practitioners of ISLAMIC LAW.. Very ODD THINKING

TooMuchStuff:
Stupid move by Bokoharam Quota system Lawyers
Na una way or no way at all. Fools.
Useless incompetent lawyers that are only visible in Fed and state govts arenas.

Legal Almajiris that think backwards all the time.

Bokoharam commanding Govnor is bankrolling their agenda to imposing Sharia Lawyers on the rest of us. Koole werkk...!

You are a bigot

Yes, just as much a bigot as those Northern lawyers you abuse.

Honestly , some of you people need to leave your villages .

And before you start, I have seen a lot of evil from Northerner. I have seen a lot of bigotry, but I have also seen a lot of good.

Honestly, this site called Nairaland is home to a lot of bigots from the North and the South who use this site's annonimity to pour more kerosene on an already burning fire.

Modified...and before anyone starts, I happen to agree with the NBA ban of el rufai, and also think the new organisation is an over reaction to something that can be solved peacefully

Mtchwwwwwww

Nigeria is a divided country that is dead.

the earlier we divide this country the better for everybody let's stop fooling ourselves and thinking we can fix this thing called Nigeria.

It will never work, we are just postponing our problem for the future since 1960s

LET THEM GO. WETIN. ENUF.