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Tag: NBA President

  • Olumide Akpata sworn-in, takes charge as 30th NBA president

    Olumide Akpata sworn-in, takes charge as 30th NBA president

    Mr Olumide Akpata, Head, Corporate and Commercial Practice Group, Templars law firm, was on Friday sworn in as the 30th President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

    He was sworn-in by his predecessor, Dr Paul Usoro (SAN), at NBA’s Virtual Annual General Meeting.

    Akpata, who was declared the winner of the NBA 2020 Presidential Election by the Electoral Committee of the NBA, on 31 July, will pilot the affairs of the association for the next two years.

    In his inaugural address, Akpata thanked all his supporters and urged all NBA members to have faith in his administration which, he promised, would serve the interest of all.

    “Anyone who keenly followed the process that culminated in today’s event will attest to the fact that my election victory was neither my making nor that of any mortal.

    “It was divinely orchestrated by the Lord Almighty, the creator of the universe who oversees the affairs of men, and in whom we live and move and have our being.

    “I return all praises to Him.

    “The NBA under my administration shall take seriously our mandate of promoting and protecting the fundamental rights of the generality of citizens.”

    Akpata added that his administration would enter into partnership with the judiciary and other stakeholders in the Nigerian criminal justice sector to undertake a holistic reform agenda of the criminal justice system.

    “I welcome and accept, on behalf of the NBA, the recent call for collaboration in this regard by the honourable attorney-general of the federation.

    “Lastly, under my administration, the NBA Law Reform Committee will be adequately resourced to play its role as a liaison between the NBA and the National Assembly to represent the bar at National Assembly public hearings to make meaningful input into our laws for the betterment of the society and our profession.

    “I accept the invitation of the Senate president and the speaker of the House of Representatives to partner with the National Assembly to reform our laws through strategic amendments in order to bring the laws up to global standards.

    “Just yesterday, the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution announced the commencement of the process for the further alteration of the Constitution, and called professional bodies and interest groups to submit memoranda for that purpose.

    “This forms part of our first assignment, and I assure you that we will not be found wanting,” he said.

  • NBA President defends decision to drop El-Rufai from conference speakers list

    NBA President defends decision to drop El-Rufai from conference speakers list

    The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro (SAN), has defended the association’s decision to withdraw the invitation earlier extended to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State as guest speaker at its Annual General Conference.

    Usoro, on Friday, also denied the allegation of ethnic and religious bias against Mr El-Rufai.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the National Executive Committee of the lawyers’ association, on Thursday, rescinded its decision on the participation of El-Rufai who has been billed to be one of the main speakers at the conference.

    The Kaduna governor was billed to speak in a session titled ‘Who is a Nigerian?… A Debate on National Identity.’

    However, the association choice of El-Rufai soon sparked protests online with many of the lawyers declining to participate if he (El-Rufai) remains on the guest list.

    Many lawyers also accused El-Rufai of not doing enough to end the killings in the southern part of Kaduna State.

    It was based on the complaints that the NBA leadership withdrew El-Rufai’s participation.

    In his reaction to the development, the governor said the decision was unjust and unfair. He accused the association of embracing a “one-sided narrative”.

    “NBA platform or not, these worthy conversations must continue. He will continue to make his voice heard on the things our country needs to do for its progress.”

    However, the incumbent NBA President, Usoro, in a statement on Friday defending the association’s decision said: “I have received several messages from our members that have attributed ethnic and religious considerations to the decision. That is not correct and is very far from the truth. Neither the NBA nor NEC belong to any religious or ethnic group. We are lawyers and professionals dedicated to the ideals and the promotion and preservation of the Rule of Law and we belong to one indivisible family of the NBA,” the senior lawyer said in a press release on Friday.

    He said the NEC did not infringe on the rule of law by dis-inviting the governor.

    “As I point out in my letter, neither the NBA nor NEC set out to sit in judgment against Mallam el-Rufai and even from that prism, the principle of fair hearing does not apply.”

    He added that none of the persons or parties who are opposed to the invitation of Mr El-Rufai to the conference has been offered the platform to advocate or propagate their viewpoints and positions and so the principle of not hearing the other side does not arise.

    “We are one united Nigerian Bar Association with no religious or ethnic bias or predisposition and shall ever so remain,” Usoro said.

  • Buhari congratulates Olumide Akpata, pledges cooperation

    Buhari congratulates Olumide Akpata, pledges cooperation

    President Muhammadu Buhari has given an assurance to Olumide Akpata, the new president of Nigerian Bar Association of his administration’s cooperation.

    He said the cooperation will enable them address the broad range of challenges and opportunities facing the legal profession and the country.

    Buhari said this in a congratulatory message to Akpata.

    Akpata was elected with a huge majority at the weekened to become the 30th President of the NBA.

    He defeated two senior lawyers, Ajibade and Julius Dele Adesina.

    Buhari, in the statement by media adviser Femi Adeshina, wished Akpata every success in the new position.

    Buhari hoped Akpata will lead Nigerian lawyers to chart a path of professional development and fulfilment.

    “President Buhari trusts that Mr Akpata’s vast knowledge and experience in litigation, corporate world and engaging with government at different levels, will greatly benefit the Bar and indeed all Nigerians, who look up to the learned fellows as crucial stakeholders in a modern democracy”, Adesina wrote.

  • BREAKING: Olumide Akpata on track to win NBA presidential election

    BREAKING: Olumide Akpata on track to win NBA presidential election

    Olumide Akpata is on track to become the new President of the Nigerian Bar Association.

    As at the time TheNewsGuru (TNG) monitored the online election, Akpata is leading with 9,436 votes representing 54.3% of the total votes counted so far in the election.

    He leads his closest rival, Dr Babatunde Ajibade who has 3827 votes as at our last check.

    Akpata, a partner in the Corporate and Commercial Practice Group at Templars Law Firm in Lagos, and vice-chair (West-Africa) of the International Bar Association’s Africa Regional Forum.

    The new NBA president had outlined three priorities once he assumes office.

    The three major ones are: “Members’ welfare, including capacity-building, ensuring an improved income system for lawyers and protecting the business of lawyers; Institutional reforms to ensure that the NBA is run as a better structured organisation that is inclusive and fit-for-purpose for lawyers in all sectors and niches and where processes are seamless, interface with members pleasant and continuity of policies is possible; and
    Active engagement with the Judiciary and other relevant authorities to deliver a justice sector that is not only different, but that meets the expectation of 21st century judicial services users.”

  • Alleged N1.4bn fraud: CJ grants NBA President’s request, transfers case to new judge

    The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, has granted the request by the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Paul Usoro, for a change of judge in the N1.4bn fraud charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

    It was learnt on Monday that following Usoro’s letter to the CJ, his case has been withdrawn from Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court in Lagos and re-assigned to Justice Chuka Obiozor of the same court.

    The EFCC had on December 18, 2018, arraigned Usoro on 10 counts before Justice Hassan, who admitted him to a N250m bail on the same day.

    Prior to the arraignment, Usoro, through his legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had informed Justice Hassan of a December 17, 2018 letter, which he wrote to the Chief Judge seeking the transfer of his case to another judge for an undisclosed reason.

    Olanipekun said Usoro would want the case transferred to either Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, or Abuja or that if the case would remain in Lagos, it should be transferred to “any other honourable judge apart from my noble Lord.”

    Olanipekun described Usoro’s request as innocuous, arguing that he had a right to make the request.

    He urged Justice Hassan to wait for the decision of the CJ on Usoro’s request before proceeding with the case.

    However, the prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, opposed Olanipekun, describing his request as a temporary stay of proceedings, which, he said, Section 306 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 had outlawed.

    “My Lord cannot act in anticipation of a yet-to-be-taken administrative decision of the Chief Judge to keep this matter in limbo,” Oyedepo argued.

    In his ruling, Justice Hassan agreed with Oyedepo and ordered that Usoro be arraigned.

    After pleading not guilty to the charges, Justice Hassan admitted the NBA President to bail and then adjourned till February 5, 2019 for trial.

    In the charges, the EFCC claimed that Usoro converted and laundered N1.4bn in connivance with the Governor of his state, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

    Emmanuel was, however, not listed as a defendant in the charge, as the EFCC indicated that he is “currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution”.

    Also mentioned in the body of the charges were one Nsikan Nkan, described as Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State; one Mfon Udomah, described as the Accountant General of Akwa Ibom State; one Uwemedimo Nwoko, described as the Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; and Margaret Ukpe, all of whom were said to be at large.

    The EFCC claimed that Usoro in connivance with the others mentioned conspired among themselves to commit the offence sometime in 2015 “within the jurisdiction of this honourable court”.

    The anti-graft agency claimed that the N1.4bn allegedly converted and laundered by the defendants belonged to the Akwa Ibom State Government.

    Counsel for the EFCC, Oyedepo, who signed the charge sheet, said in the charge sheet the offence allegedly committed by the NBA President was contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

    He added that the SAN is liable to be punished under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

     

  • Buhari’s government renowned for abuse of rule law, disobedience to court orders – NBA President

    The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro, has accused the Muhammadu Buhari administration of trampling on the rule of law and disobeying court orders.

    Usoro, who is accused of fraudulently receiving N1.4 billion from the Akwa Ibom State government, said this in a New Year message delivered on behalf of the association.

    The anti-graft agency, EFCC, accused the NBA president of conspiring with officials of the Akwa Ibom State government to divert the said sum. The senior lawyer has, however, explained that the money was payment for legal services offered to the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, and the state government.

    In his New Year message, Usoro accused the federal government of “threatening the rule of law by attacking judicial officials from the bar and the bench.”

    “In our country, the rule of law suffers degradation in multiple ways. The rule of law is trampled upon when there is no access to justice or when such access is denied, not well defined or is constrained, stifled or impaired howsoever.

    “The rule of law is threatened when the practice of law, whether at the Bar or on the Bench, is brought under siege by agencies of state through their actions and/or inactions,” Usoro said.

    Usoro also described the failure of the government to obey court judgment as an outright subjugation of the rule of law.

    “The rule of law suffers subjugation when the rights of our people are trampled upon, whether in terms of rights abuses or brazen disobedience of court orders and judgments.

    The president, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has been condemned by human rights activists for its refusal to comply with court orders for the release of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    The government was also condemned for detaining Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaki for over two years without trial, before he was later arraigned, following widespread protests by the Shiite members.

    Usoro also accused the Buhari led government of failing to provide strong structures to combat abuse of power.

    “The rule of law is degraded when we, wittingly or unwittingly, fail to build strong institutions that can stand up to the arbitrariness and abuse of power.

    The NBA president said the bar will remain relentless in its efforts to condemn what he described as “undermining practices of government,” as the elections draw near.

    Usoro, in the report, called on Nigerians to partake in the general elections and vote in leaders they believe can salvage the country.

    “In 2019, we will continue to condemn and beam our searchlights on these undermining practices. Nigerian lawyers must stand as a united and independent Bar against these unwholesome and undemocratic practices. In carrying out this responsibility, we must not be cowed or intimidated howsoever.

    “Our role as the voice is even more pronounced and accentuated in this election year. This is the year that we would decide both at the national and states levels, how we wish to be governed and into whose hands we will entrust our affairs and lives.

    “The quality of rulers that we will vote into power this year will determine whether we move from a perennially consumption economy into a productive and hopefully an industrialized economy; it would determine whether we would, in our lifetimes, ever be assured of such basic necessities as pervasive energy supply and provision of potable water and primary health care for our citizens.

    “The elections of 2019 should and must, therefore, serve as a defining moment for our country. In fulfilling these mandates, we have civic responsibility, as lawyers, to cast our votes and I am hoping that we all have our PVCs ready and available for that all-important assignment.”