Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has excluded lawyers belonging to Akwa Ibom State branch, South-south Nigeria, from joining its monitoring team.
The NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, said in Abuja on Tuesday that the decision was a sanction against the branch for its open partisanship regarding the forthcoming March 11 governorship election in the state.
Mr Maikyau criticised the branch’s endorsement of Umo Eno as their preferred governorship candidate in the election.
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Mr Eno is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State.
Speaking at the state of the nation address, Mr Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), condemned “the action of the few members who embarked on such despicable and disgraceful conduct using the platform of the NBA.”
He said the Akwa Ibom branch’s endorsement of Mr Eno “was not made for or with the authority of the (national) NBA.”
Describing the endorsement as “disgusting”, Mr Maikyau clarified, “(the) NBA is not partisan; we are not a political party, we are representatives of the people, we remain neutral and must be seen to maintain our neutrality at all times.”
Sanctions
The NBA President had instructed the association’s First Vice President, who is leading the NBA Election Monitoring Group, “to immediately exclude all the branches of the NBA in Akwa Ibom State from participating in the monitoring of the forthcoming election.”
Mr Maikyau stated that the sanction slammed on the Akwa Ibom branch of the NBA would be communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“…members involved in this conduct will also face disciplinary action as may be determined by the NBA,” the association’s President fumed.
Similarly, Mr Maikyau said lawyers who “misconduct themselves while participating in the resolution of electoral disputes will face disciplinary action.”
The NBA has the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), where erring non-senior lawyers are punished for violating the profession’s ethical codes.
While the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), sanctions Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), who breach the legal profession’s rules of professional conduct.
The NBA President lamented that lawyers failed to hold the government on behalf of Nigerians.
The NBA President pledged to protect the integrity of the courts against “any form of political intimidation by the political class.”
But, it vowed to “call out and pursue disciplinary action(s) against erring judicial officials.”
Mr Maikyau, while commending INEC for its preparedness for the polls, urged the electoral umpire “to deliver a free, fair, and credible election to Nigerians.”
He tasked INEC to maintain its independence, promising to “ward off any attempt to undermine the integrity of the electoral process and neutrality of INEC.”
How Akwa Ibom NBA endorsed Eno
The Nigerian Bar Association, Akwa Ibom State Branch endorsed the PDP governorship candidate of in the state, Eno on January 26.
In a motion moved by a former chairman of the Eket Branch, Barr. Francis Ekwere and unanimously seconded, the association said Pastor Eno has demonstrated capacity, competence and character required to further the development strides of the incumbent administration.
The elders of the association including the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof Enefiok Essien, Barr. Francis Ekwere who is also a former national officer of the association, Barr. Godwill Umoh, Barr. Nsima Nsima, and others applauded Pastor Eno for deeming fit to consult with them, stressing that he was the first to consult with the association.
The elders, who were delighted by the visit, lauded the development plans of Pastor Eno and especially, his deep knowledge of the current needs of Akwa Ibom State, and urged their members to support the PDP governorship candidate for a better Akwa Ibom.
Responding, Pastor Eno described lawyers as the critical stakeholders of the state, assuring them that if elected in the forthcoming elections, they would be given their pride of place.
He assured that his administration would work with the lawyers to guide government to do the right thing with regards to obeying the rule of law, stressing that his administration would be all inclusive.
Pastor Eno noted that government would support training and retraining of lawyers as well as provide some facilities for students to encourage professionalism.
Addressing members of the association, Pastor Eno said lawyers are critical stakeholders of the state, and assured them that if elected in the forthcoming elections, they would be given their pride of place.
He noted that his administration would work with the lawyers to guide government to do the right thing with regards to obeying the rule of law, stressing that his administration would be all inclusive.
Pastor Eno noted that government would support training and retraining of lawyers as well as provide some facilities for students to encourage professionalism.
