El-Rufai: Splinter Body Emerges From NBA

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

Following the controversy that trailed the withdrawal of Governor Nasir El-Rufai as a speaker at the annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), a group of aggrieved lawyers have decided to exit the NBA to form a new lawyers’ body.

The aggrieved lawyers noted that the new association will be called New Nigerian Bar Association.

This was made known in a statement signed by Barr Nuhu Ibrahim, Esq and Abdulbasit Suleiman.

They argued that the withdrawal of El-Rufai as a speaker at the NBA AGC showed that the NBA cannot protect and accommodate the interests of its heterogenous members, hence the formation of the new association.

The group stated “What has been happening recently has exposed the inability of the NBA to manage and contain the heterogeneity of its members as well as their various interests.

“As a body of lawyers who have undergone training towards ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights and liberties, the NBA is supposed to live above sentiments, regionalism and discrimination on any basis and of any kind.

“Therefore, the NBA cannot afford to be seen as not to be upholding the rights and freedom of its own members if at all, it should be seen to be practicing what it preaches. As the Hausa saying goes: *Idan Kura tana maganin zaho, ta yi ma kanta*(If Hyena has cure for diarrhea let her use it for herself).

“The New Nigerian Bar Association has been watching the activities of the NBA, an association we all looked forward to joining with high hopes before being called to the Nigerian Bar, forcing idiosyncrasies of few on the majority of its members especially in recent times.

“No wonder, NBA NEC, which is the highest decision-making organ of the Association failed to uphold the fundamental principles of fair hearing which in itself, is the fundamental aspect of Rule of Law, on the allegations against the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai as were contained in a petition by Chidi Odinkalu Esq. a long time foe of His Excellency and a Lawyer of eastern extraction, but the NBA failed to extend the same treatment to Southern invitees who were also petitioned and are also alleged to have committed similar or more human rights abuses than those alleged against Mallam El-Rufai.

“It is pertinent to state that the NBA membership as currently constituted can be termed, Mandatory Membership Association, which, for all intents and purposes, is against the provisions of the Constitution since the grundnorm recognises freedom of membership of every Association.”

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