Ahead of the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, schedule for next month, various branches of the association in Lagos has commenced conducting election for new executives that will run the affairs of the association for another two years.
As at the time of writing this report, the Ikorodu branch of the NBA has elected new officers, while Ikeja branch collation is ongoing.
The election of the new officers was however held amid protest by some candidates protesting their disqualification by election committee set up by the national body of the NBA for the branch.
The committee was composed of former chairmen of the branch including the founder of the branch, Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, Prince Kazeem Adebanjo, Mrs. Gloria Ukeje and Mrs. Tope Sarumi, the Secretary of the committee.
The placard carrying lawyers attempted to disrupt the process of the election but were dislodged by policemen from Ipakodo Division.
Led by a chairmanship candidate, Abimbola Ojedokun, they complained that a two man representative of the national NBA which visited the branch earlier wrote in its report that they were"substantially" qualified for the election.
Ojedokun said the Ogbara led election committee refused to implement report of the national officers that visited Ikorodu.
But Mr. Ogbara dismissed his claim insisting that the disqualified candidate failed the uniform bye laws put in place for election in NBA branches nationwide.
He said one of the three candidates was technically disqualified because he has held office twice and not eligible for election until after five years as stipulated in the new bye law.
While another was disqualified because he was sponsored by person not qualified, the third person was disqualified for not paying professional practice fee for 2014 and 2015.
He said two earlier committees set up at branch levels had earlier disqualified them but that they kept re-presenting themselves for the election.
Outgoing chairman. Dotun Adetunji said what happened was a result of few members having different views from that of the majority.
"Their candidate for the chairman was disqualified and they petitioned to the national body which culminated in the setting up of a new election committee of past chairmen of the branch led by Nurudeen Ogbara.
"The new committee screened all candidates and again disqualified the aggrieved candidates including Ojedokun on similar grounds as stipulated in the new uniform bye law", he said.
The election which later held peacefully produced Mr. Levi Adikwaone as chairman, Mrs. Charity Fagade as Secretary, Mrs Bolatito Olasola as Treasurer. Mrs. Odunola Jegede as Social Secretary and Mr. Oladipo Adewunmi as Financial Secretary.
As at the time of writing this report, the Ikorodu branch of the NBA has elected new officers, while Ikeja branch collation is ongoing.
The election of the new officers was however held amid protest by some candidates protesting their disqualification by election committee set up by the national body of the NBA for the branch.
The committee was composed of former chairmen of the branch including the founder of the branch, Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, Prince Kazeem Adebanjo, Mrs. Gloria Ukeje and Mrs. Tope Sarumi, the Secretary of the committee.
The placard carrying lawyers attempted to disrupt the process of the election but were dislodged by policemen from Ipakodo Division.
Led by a chairmanship candidate, Abimbola Ojedokun, they complained that a two man representative of the national NBA which visited the branch earlier wrote in its report that they were"substantially" qualified for the election.
Ojedokun said the Ogbara led election committee refused to implement report of the national officers that visited Ikorodu.
But Mr. Ogbara dismissed his claim insisting that the disqualified candidate failed the uniform bye laws put in place for election in NBA branches nationwide.
He said one of the three candidates was technically disqualified because he has held office twice and not eligible for election until after five years as stipulated in the new bye law.
While another was disqualified because he was sponsored by person not qualified, the third person was disqualified for not paying professional practice fee for 2014 and 2015.
He said two earlier committees set up at branch levels had earlier disqualified them but that they kept re-presenting themselves for the election.
Outgoing chairman. Dotun Adetunji said what happened was a result of few members having different views from that of the majority.
"Their candidate for the chairman was disqualified and they petitioned to the national body which culminated in the setting up of a new election committee of past chairmen of the branch led by Nurudeen Ogbara.
"The new committee screened all candidates and again disqualified the aggrieved candidates including Ojedokun on similar grounds as stipulated in the new uniform bye law", he said.
The election which later held peacefully produced Mr. Levi Adikwaone as chairman, Mrs. Charity Fagade as Secretary, Mrs Bolatito Olasola as Treasurer. Mrs. Odunola Jegede as Social Secretary and Mr. Oladipo Adewunmi as Financial Secretary.
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