The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has frowned at recent divisive efforts by certain members of the group for ulterior motives.
The association firmly resolved that the NBA is the only recognised, indivisible umbrella Association of all lawyers called to the Bar in Nigeria and there is no other body so recognised or permitted to operate as such.
This is contained in a communique of the association at the end of their quarterly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the auditorium of the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja.
The communique signed by the NBA President,Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, and assistant general secretary, Daniel Ka-ayii Kip, dated December 15, 2022, said NEC received with dismay the report of the attempt to register a parallel body of lawyers as an alternative to the Nigerian Bar Association.
They also frowned at the involvement of some senior members of the Bar and past leaders of the Association in the registration process of the alternative body.
The statement said, “NEC categorically resolves that the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), a body so registered, is unknown to members of the Bar and mandates the NBA President to commence processes for the delisting of the LSN by the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“NEC further resolves to sanction all members of the Bar seeking to promote or register a new lawyers’ association, whether using a new name or an old registered, Law Society of Nigeria (LSN).
“NEC particularly resolves that a Past NBA General Secretary, Mr. Nimi Walson-Jack who acted as a solicitor to the promoters of the new law society be stripped of his privileges as past General Secretary and consequently, be suspended from being a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association.”
The NEC also considered the letters written by the immediate-past President and current NBA President requesting Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN to recuse himself as Chairman of the Body of Benchers in view of a letter written by an erstwhile partner of Wole Olanipekun & Co, which is now the subject of a matter pending before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), an arm of the Body of Benchers.
The NEC declared that the issue which gave rise to the call for recusal was not a personal issue of the NBA President, but an issue that affects the entire legal profession and casts it in bad light.
“NEC, therefore, proceeded to ratify all the letters written by the immediate past and the current Presidents of the NBA to the Body of Benchers requesting Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN to recuse himself as Chairman of the Body.
“NEC frowns at the sit-tight attitude of the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, despite letters from 2 NBA Presidents
“And therefore calls on Chief Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, to, as a matter of principle, honour the request in the letters of the NBA and recuse himself as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers.”
The NEC ratified all the steps taken by the NBA President in relation to the matter and passed a vote of confidence on the NBA President, declaring that all the steps he had taken so far on the issue, were for the benefit of the Bar and the legal profession.
“NEC recognises the need to explore all avenues to save the legal profession from further embarrassment over the imbroglio and empowers the NBA President to set up a committee to seek alternate ways to resolve the matter.
“NEC reiterates the motto of the NBA which is to promote the rule of law and maintains that there are no sacred cows or special persons and as such, all issues of professional misconduct must be dealt with the same way for old and young lawyers alike.
“NEC resolves that the NBA remains one united entity and restates that the unity of the Bar is non-negotiable; NEC therefore enjoins all members to remain resolute in the pursuit of justice and be dedicated towards moving the association forward, despite any perceived division,” the NBA added .
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