As lawyers’ count down to July 16 for the election of a new national executive, YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE goes into the heart of the matter, the speculations, allegations and whether the Outer Bar is set to upset the Inner Bar again.
With the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), national election just ten days away, a lot is ongoing behind the scene and the body of learned people is already filled with suspense, especially over what the outcome of the election may portend, as the legal community waits with bated breath to see if the electoral body, handling the poll processes, will deliver. There are fears that the procedural standard may drop and the electoral body, unwittingly rewriting the electoral history of the association.
Of major concern is the continuous allegation of high scale malpractices and irregularities from various quarters. Recently, a Law Professor and former Deputy Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Ernest Ojukwu (SAN), confirmed a swirling allegation, while speaking during the 2022 Law Week of the NBA, Bwari Branch (Cradle Bar). He pointedly accused some senior lawyers of mobilising law students to vote in successive NBA elections. He didn’t mention names of those behind the agenda.
Before now, many had thought that the release of the NBA electoral guidelines, schedule, timetable and list of candidates on May 16, 2022 by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), headed by Ayodele Akintunde (SAN), would lay to rest, the apprehension and other issues, but this has not been the case. Many lawyers still believe that there may be more surprises as the election day draws near.
Altogether, 53 candidates are in the race, jostling for about 11 offices, which include, President, first Vice-President, second Vice-President, third Vice-President, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Secretary, Publicity Secretary, Assistant Publicity Secretary and General Council of the Bar.
It was revealed that the sum of N34.878 million has been approved by the NBA-NEC for the conduct of the election while N4, 044, 000 was approved as office and administrative expenses and N2, 760,000 approved for ECNBA’s voter education/sensitisation outreach which held in clusters in the three zones, with branches invited to the clusters nearest to them for the exercise.
It was further learnt that N17, 978,000 and $15,000 were approved for the Technical/ICT component of the assignment and N3, 871,300 approved for office equipment; laptops, photocopying machines, printers and projectors but there is no official confirmation of the sum to be expended to ensure a smooth election.
ECNBA, in a statement, releasing the guidelines, timetable and list of 53 candidates, which it described as the properly-nominated candidates for its national election, said through Akintunde, the chairman and Mabel Ekeke, the secretary, that “Pursuant to Part IV(11) and V(7), Second Schedule of the Constitution of the NBA 2015 (as amended in 2021), a reminder notice was issued on June 6, 2022, to all candidates to submit not later than June 10, 2022, all campaign materials including curriculum vitae of not more than four pages of A4-size paper and comprehensive manifestos for publication.”
The Contenders
Contenders for the NBA Presidency are Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), Mikyau Chonoko Yakubu (SAN) and Jonathan Gunu Taidi while Bala Linda, Bawa Yakubu and Liman Salihu are contenders for first Vice-President; Abonyi Gerald, Chukwuemeka Clement and Nosike Damian are running for second Vice-President and Asagba Justina and Ogbah Isaac are contesting for third Vice-President.
For General Secretary, contenders are Adegbite Adesina, Asenoguan Osamuede, Ogiegbaen Callistus and Yamah Desmond; for Assistant General Secretary, the candidates are Aka Oluwaseun, Balogun Dhikrullah, Kip Daniel and Oseme Peremene while Adeogun Funmilola, Anze-Bishop Caroline and Balarabe Safiya are contesting for Treasurer and Adaramola Gbemiga, Aniekwena Ben, Auta Nyada, Obasi Chinyere and Ugwuoke Ikechukwu will slug it out for the position of Welfare Secretary.
The Publicity Secretary position is being contested by Emoghwanre Ogaga and Lawal Akorede; Assistant Publicity Secretary will be contested by Ajiboye Charles and Nwoye Akachukwu while 22 candidates; Abdullahi Faskari, Agada Mercy, Agbaga Dennis, Agi Anne, Aikpokpo-Martins John, Akintayo John, Anagor Raphael, Anizoba Obi, Bello Abdulganiyu, Edun Olukunle, Igba Theophilus, Lagbamue Israel, Maidoki Muhammad, Muhammad Asmau, Munguno Mohammed, Nduka Rapuluchukwu, Nwaeze Nwaebuka, Okwun-Kalu Dave, Oladapo Olalekan, Onwere Victor, Oyeyiola Durodoluwa and Usman Joshua, have beem listed for the General Council of the Bar.
And as the D-day draws near, legal practitioners cannot confidently predict who will succeed Olumide Akpata as NBA president for the next two years though the position has been zoned to the North. Akpata, 48, was elected president following his landslide victory over two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) in July 2020 and his two-year tenure ends in July this year.
As with most elections, attention seems to be majorly on the presidential candidates and there are already conjectures and speculations on whether Jonathan Gunu Taidi can follow in the footprint of Akpata and win the election over the two senior advocates. There is a belief that the battle of who rules NBA is still on between the Inner and Outer Bar. Undoubtedly, the Outer Bar enjoys numerical advantage over the Inner Bar, and this could count significantly for Taidi, but many lawyers still hold that the emergence of Akpata was an aberration that may not reoccur anytime soon.
Those who had occupied the position since NBA settled its differences after being in limbo for about six years; between 1992 and 1998 during which it had no national leadership but operated at Bar levels, include Chief T.J.O. Okpoko, SAN (1998–2000), O.C.J. Okocha, SAN (2000–2002), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN (2002–2004), Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN (2004–2005), Prince Lanke Odogiyan (2005–2006), Olisa Agbakoba, SAN (2006–2008), Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN (2008–2010), Joseph Bodurin Daudu, SAN (2010–2012), Okey Wali, SAN (2012–2014), Augustine Alegeh, SAN (2014–2016), Mahmoud Abubakar Balarabe, SAN (2016–2018), Paul Usoro, SAN (2018–2020) and Olumide Akpata, who came on board in 2020 after rubbishing the perceived notion that only the Silk, deserved to lead the union and will be handing over to another president on July 16.
Who is the successor?
Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN)
Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN) is the Principal Partner of one of Nigeria’s leading law firms, JK Gadzama LP. He is popularly known as ‘JK’. Gadzama is a senior lawyer who is not new to NBA politics. In 2016, he was the presumed frontrunner, only to be trounced by AB Mahmoud, SAN, to the surprise of many and utter disappointment of his supporters.
A Bar veteran and respected legal practitioner, he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria the same year. He became a Notary Public in June 1996 and was elevated to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998.
He has served in various capacities in the NBA and was chairman of the old Abuja Branch of the association. As a result of his strong anti-corruption record, he was appointed Chairman, Legal Team of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Chairman, National Working Group on the Rome Statute constituted by the office of the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation.
It is believed that JK’s record, experience at the Bar as well as his long years of engaging in NBA politics, should stand him in good stead this time around. Many lawyers believe it is his time, considering he is the most popular of the contestants.
Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN)
Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN) is known as a quintessential Barman and a philanthropist. The Principal Partner at Y.C Maikyau and Co. is the pioneer and current Chairman of the NBA Welfare Committee and the Chairman of the Committee of Law and Individual Rights of the Section on Legal Practice.
Maikyau is a Law graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the Nigerian Law School. He was admitted as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in December of 1990, after which he began his career with the law firm of Danladi Bamaiyi and Company, where he rose to become the Head of Chambers.
He moved on to set up his own firm, Y. C Maikyau and Company, with offices in Abuja and Sokoto, on August 6, 2003.
Under his leadership, the Welfare Committee of the NBA has unveiled life-touching schemes including Law Pavilion deals and Medical Insurance schemes under the current administration in the NBA.
He is believed to be a man that has strong ties and can move far to clinch the coveted seat.
Jonathan Gunu Taidi
Jonathan Gunu Taidi, the immediate past General Secretary of the association is the one that some believe will walk in Akpata’s shoes. He is popular for his humility and accommodating nature.
Born in 1969 at Kakpi, Baro District of Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State, Mr Taidi was called to Bar in 2001.
He became the General Secretary of the NBA in 2018 after winning a keenly-contested election by a wide margin and is regarded as a top Bar Man.
He has also served the NBA as Chairman and Secretary of NBA Minna Branch and is a leader of the Branch till date.
Expectations, endorsement
The expectations of lawyers vary depending on their position at the Bar and who they are supporting. And in the midst of this, there had been pieces of advice from diverse quarters. A former chairman of NBA Ikorodu, Bayo Akinlade, urged lawyers to consider the ability of who they will vote into office as the ability of those voted, to represent the legal profession, usually reflects the condition of the legal profession and its relevance to society.
He said they should consider a candidate that knows the constitution of the NBA, its history and purpose; understands how to put members first, has experience and ability to harness the potential of every member, possesses personal influence, respected within and outside the profession, has good and honest personal and legal background and knows how to manage resources and distribute funds appropriately.
For him, the listed qualities have nothing to do with gender, having a deep pocket or carrying a big title.
Just as with all elections, there have been public declarations of support and endorsement for some candidates. Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has publicly endorsed Gadzama, which is being counted as a big deal for the frontrunner, though Falana also publicly endorsed Deacon Femi Adesina, SAN, for President two years back and he lost.
Apart from the popular lawyer, Association of Ebonyi State Lawyers in Lagos State also endorsed Gadzama as the preferred candidate, reportedly on the strength of his record and passion for the growth and development of young lawyers.
Another umbrella body, Yoruba Lawyers Association of Nigeria (YOLAN) on June 12, also announced its maximum support for Gadzama and implored its members and other Nigerian lawyers to mobilise votes for him as the best man for the job.
The growing support for Gadzama began manifesting from the very day he picked his nomination form, as he arrived at the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association’s secretariat office at Abuja Trade & Convention Centre, Abuja on Monday, April 11, 2022, in company with many of his colleagues and supporters.
There are however those who think Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau is most likely to emerge the surprise winner as he is said to have caught the imagination of Nigerian lawyers: old and young, who see him as a prototype of the emerging Bar leadership, which Olumide Akpata represents.
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Y.C usually called the ‘Oputa panel hero’ is seen to represent the New Order that is committed to returning the Bar to the perceived real owners: the generality of the Bar community.
From a Silk, J.S Okutepa, who was surprisingly not in the race many had projected him into long before now, Maikyau, got a major endorsement, that has served as a booster to his campaign.
Okutepa said the association needed a leader who has shown fidelity to the ethics and rules that guide the profession, adding that “at this critical moment in the history of the Bar, NBA needs a leader that has always been good and has earned the trust and respect of not only the members of the Bar and the Bench, but the respects of lawyers.”
He concluded that the NBA needed a lawyer who is very honest, with unquestionable integrity and who can be trusted with leadership and not betray the Bar and the Bench.
“We need a man of undiluted fidelity with the code of conduct in the legal profession and Y.C. Maikyau is the man for the NBA top job” the SAN reasoned.
Also showing support for Maikyau, an Abuja based lawyer, Ugochukwu Osuagwu stated that Maikyu is the person that will likely emerge because “he is carrying everybody along irrespective of tribe unlike others. He even reached out to me in person and I know with support, he has all it takes to help rule the association.”
However, Taidi is seen as a contender to watch due to his steadily-rising fame that has positioned him to surprise bookmakers. He is seen to be in the middle of the older and the younger members of the Bar. His 2018 “miracle” win, when he had only an outside chance, is getting him a second look from even the naysayers.
“This is one to look out for. He is a born leader and there’s a reason he keeps being elected into leadership roles. Besides, you know what they say about underdogs? They take you by surprise,” an admirer said.
and then