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Olanipekun: Body of Benchers, speaks again on crisis *Frowns on media exposure
The Body of Benchers (BOB) in Nigeria has explained its position on the letter by the President of the the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) requesting its Chairman, Wole Olanipekun not to preside over the last Call to Bar ceremonies during which 4711 new lawyers were admitted into the profession.
The BOB frowned at the use of social media by the NBA President to circulate official documents meant for in-house communication among members of the body.
The body, in a statement on Friday, said the letter was not debated at the body’s December 5 meeting meant to finalise arrangements for the Call to Bar ceremonies because it (the letter) was delivered late at the BOB headquarters in Abuja.
It added that members failed to consider the issue, when it was raised by Maikyau because they were not in receipt of the letter and the Chairman, to whom it was directed, was not afforded the opportunity to respond to the letter before the NBA President brought it up.
In the statement by its Secretary, Daniel Tela, it was stated that beside that the NBA President’s letter was directed personally to the BOB Chairman, it was not an item on the agenda of the meeting which had been scheduled since November 14.
It added that the letter, had been published on the social media before it was received at the BOB headquarters at exactly 9:32 am on December 5, the day of the meeting, hence, it was not ripe for discussion.
The statement reads in part: “It is on record that the media, (print and social media) has been agog with the reports regarding the call by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) not to preside over the Call to Bar ceremonies.
“This widely circulated call has saturated the media space from Sunday, 4th December, 2022 till now. At the meeting of the Body of Benchers held on Monday 5th December, 2022, which notice was given on 14th November, 2022, the sole item for discussion was the consideration of the report of the screening committee of the Body, preparatory to the Call to Bar ceremonies.
“The report was duly considered and approved. Under the AOB, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association informed members that he had written a letter to the Chairman of the Body to which the Chairman stated that although, he had not read the letter as it was not yet brought to his attention, he was aware of the fact that it had already been circulated in the media, particularly the social media and that despite the fact that the letter was personally addressed to him and not to the Body, he was prepared to waive his rights as he would want it discussed one way or the other in view of the contents of the letter which centred on his personality and integrity.
“The NBA President then stated that he sent the letter to members mails in the evening of Sunday, December 4, 2022 and also made copies of the said letter and brought to the meeting but majority of the members responded that they were yet receive such mails.
“Some members were of the view that the the letter was definitely not ripe for consideration, assuming it was meant or addressed to the Body.
“The said letter was received at the Body of Benchers Secretariat at 9:32am on Monday, 5th December, 2022. In spite of all the comments and contributions of members, the Chairman still passionately pleaded that the matter be taken, and made reference to a previous letter written in July 2022 on the eve of Call to Bar ceremonies.
“Majority of the members were of the view that the Chairman drop his insistence that the matter be conclusively decided, bearing in mind, several factors including the fact that majority of the members did not receive the email, coupled with the fact that the Call to Bar subject was too important and central to the Body and the content of the letter was not such that could be taken under the AOB.
“Furthermore, the letter was addressed to the Chairman, Body of Benchers, therefore, there is the need for the Chairman’s response to be received for proper consideration.
“It was therefore, resolved that the matter be taken at the emergency meeting of the Body scheduled to take place in January 2023 at a date to be communicated to members.
“Thereafter, the motion for adjournment of the meeting was moved. The Body frowned at the use of the social media platform in forwarding sensitive official documents communication. I have been directed to issue the above statement following the repeated calls made seeking information on the conduct of the Call to Bar ceremonies and the position of the Body of Benchers on the call by the NBA for the Chairman, Body of Benchers to recuse himself from presiding over the ceremonies. To the glory of God, the Call to Bar ceremonies were successful.”
Hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen did, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, also flatly rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries, of the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, described the announced results as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party.
He said in a statement: “I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He said he had previously maintained that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent, stressing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the ADC claimed to represent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor questioned the moral basis of the ADC criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral malpractice while allegedly engaging in similar conduct internally.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he declared.
Amaechi said the ADC was envisioned as a platform to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide credible political alternatives irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social background.
His rejection of the outcome is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party following the conclusion of its presidential primary election.
“These timeless virtues of devotion, selflessness, and submission to divine will are values our nation desperately needs today,” were the exact words with which Godswill Akpabio, attempted to rouse Nigerians to the ethos of unquestionable faith and service to the country.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, who drew example from Prophet Ibrahim, admonished Nigerians to emulate his unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
The Senate President, who conveyed his sentiments via a statement by Eseme Eyiboh, also used the specifically hail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Kashim Shettima and Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world as they celebrate Eid El Kabir.
Stressing that the occasion called for prayer and sober reflection on the theme of sacrifice, he added: “This sacred occasion reminds us of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
“To our dear President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima and Muslim brothers and sisters, I felicitate with them on behalf of my family, constituents and the Senate on this blessed Eid. May the lessons of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity that define this season strengthen your faith and bring peace to your homes.
“As you share with the less privileged and extend love to neighbours of all faiths, you embody the true spirit of Nigeria. To all Nigerians, I urge us to use this solemn period to pray fervently for peace, security, and prosperity in our land. Let us pray for our troops in the frontlines, for farmers to return safely to their fields, and for unity to prevail over division in our Nation.
“Eid El Kabir also calls us to deep reflection on the future of our country. Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested, Nigeria is in a season of testing. The sacrifices we make today in patience, in tolerance and in choosing hope over despair will determine the Nigeria our children inherit.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, supported by the National Assembly, is anchored on that same principle: that meaningful progress often requires collective sacrifice.
“May Almighty Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices. May He heal our land, guide our leaders, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barka da Sallah. Eid Mubarak.”
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.”
These were the exact words of Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with which he cast a slur on the ongoing presidential primaries of the party, hinging his position on reports of fraud trailing the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen, a second timer in the search for the nation’s number one job, ran against Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
In a statement on his assessment of the exercise which began on Monday, the renowned economist Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), used his X platform to convey his dissatisfaction with the process.
The ADC which said the collation for the exercise would take place in Abuja had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
Bolaji Abdullahi, its spokesman, who described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative, maintained that it remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” he said adding that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
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