As part of the fallout from the dis-invitation of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) as speaker at its recently concluded Annual General Conference, a splinter group has emerged named, New Nigeria Bar Association (NNBA).
In a statement by conveners of the NNBA, Nuhu Ibrahim and Abdulbasit Suleiman, both members of the Kaduna branch of NBA, on Thursday, the group said wide consultation had started across northern Nigeria with senior lawyers to actualise the formation of the new association.
The 2020 NBA AGC was held from August 24 to August 26.
The group, however, said its decision is due to the “rumblings from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)”.
“Members of this association have commenced consultations with very senior lawyers of Northern Nigeria extraction and those practising therein with the view to constituting the trustees and for purposes of fixing date for formal inauguration of the association,” the statement reads.
“The inaugural date of the association being apolitical and geared at taking and protecting the interests of lawyers of like minds shall be communicated.
“The recent rumblings from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is leaving much to be desired within the ranks of concerned lawyers, especially from northern part of the country.
“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. Its penal phavers has been deployed discriminatively on the basis of ethnicity and regionalism.
“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 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 diarrhoea, let her use it for herself).
“The New Nigerian Bar Association have been watching 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.”
The group said NNBA members, gleaning from the above Constitutional provision feel their interests were no longer taken into consideration in major decisions of the NBA.
The NBA had last week withdrew the invitation offered to El-Rufai following outcry by some lawyers who said the governor stands against what the profession represents.
Lawyers under the aegis of Open Bar Initiative lawyers had written a petition to the chairman of the technical committee of the NBA conference Koyinsola Ajayi saying El-Rufai abuses human rights and oversees a state described as “the most dangerous state in Nigeria in 2020″.
In reaction, however, El-Rufai said: “He is the governor that made permanent military and police bases a reality in Southern Kaduna after close to 40 years of waiting. He is the governor that set up a Peace Commission to nudge communities to embrace their responsibility to live in peace and harmony.”
