TheNigerialawyer reveals that the Chairman, NBA Badagry branch is bent on conducting the branch’s election on the 11th day of June, 2018, despite the directives by the NBA to the effect that branches facing crisis should keep their election on hold pending findings by the National body of the Association. According to a notice sent to the Chairman of the branch as well as the electoral committee, by the Branch Electoral Monitoring Committee (BEMC) constituted by the NBA, the branch is expected to suspend the election in line with its directives for the interest of the Association and in obedience to the directives by the NBA. TheNigerialawyer recalls that some aggrieved members and leaders of the NBA, Badagry branch had earlier petitioned the office of the NBA President, A. B. Mahmoud SAN, against the NBA Badagry Branch Electoral Committee (ECNBA, Badagry) for unlawful, unconstitutional and illegal Acts. The petition  which was dated the 26th day of May, 2018, exposed several issues including the composition of the electoral committee, wrongful disqualification of some qualified persons and wrongful qualification of unqualified persons, omission of qualified members as voters and so on. With respect to the first, which is the composition of the electoral committee, it was posed whether it is proper for a committee, of the like of ECNBA Badagry, to be chaired and or headed by an incumbent vice chairman? In the petition, it was stated that the members of the ECNBA Badagry was announced by the vice chairman of the branch in the branch’s April monthly meeting, presided over by the vice chairman. He was said to have announced himself as the chairman of the ECNBA, Badagry even to the objection of many members and for which reason, the subject was stood down. The petition stated that the chairman of ECNBA Badagry branch, Mr. Sodipo M.A., is a stooge of the current Executive Committee. Sodipo Esq is the vice chairman of the branch and has interest in returning the Executive committee’s preferred candidates. Sodipo Esq, was appointed vice chairman of the branch by the present Executive committee as installed by Chris Okoye in 2016, on the agreement that the account of the previous administration headed by Chris Okoye will be not scrutinized and the financial management not exposed. This was because, Chief Chris Okoyeled administration purchased a used Bus for the branch from Young Shall Grow Company at N1,100,000.00 as shown in the receipt of purchase and deposit Slip payment; but in his account, he stated that the bus was purchased for N2,250,000.00, so it was affirmed. They further disclosed that ChiefOkoya is still fighting hard to ensure that this abnormal act by his administration is not raised at any time by any government of the branch, hencehis desperation. The petition also stated that before this time, the chairman of the branch, with a few members as led by Chief Chris Okoye, met in Chief Okoye’s, office and appointed their ‘cabinet’ members i.e, those they want to form the incoming Executive of the branch. It was in the meeting that Chief Chris Okoye with the incumbent chairman of the branch, appointed the Electoral Committee. In that meeting, M.A. SodipoEsq who is the ECNBA Badagry Chairman, was given a card of what to do, part of which is to ensure that some persons are disqualified if they indicate intention to contest. So as the chairman of ECNBA Badagry, M.A. Sodipo Esq seems to be doing the bid of their Chief Chris Okoye, instead of following the provisions of the Bye-Law, they claimed. “Mr. Sodipo Esq who ought to be transparent and impartial is now campaigning that the provisions of the uniform Bye-Law should be thrown away and be not applied strictly, just to validate some preferred candidates,” they said. The petition also affirmed that to satisfy their bid, the electoral committee, as headed by M.A. SodipoEsq, without recourse to the Bye-Law, the attendance register and the minutes Book, disqualified some qualified members who are contesting for the offices of the chairman, secretary and vice chairman respectively. The petition among other things raised the issue of the disqualification of Mrs. Gladys Egbe and One Magret Medoyomi Esq and as well as Oroelu Godwin Agidi. According to them, the disqualification of Godwin by the committee was targeted and a gateway to deal with his nominees. Also raised was the issue of the omission of qualified members as voters as well as the surprise qualification of Chief Chris Okoye. According to the petition, record shows that Chris did not attend meetings up to five times as required by the law, yet, he was qualified by the committee. The petition therefore drew the attention of the NBA president to the issues causing crisis in the branch and urged the NBA to investigate same in order for there to be a lasting peace in the branch. Below are the names of the aggrieved members and leaders of the branch that signed the petition as made available to TheNigerialawyer: Chief Bode Oyeyemi, first chairman of the branch, Hon. Chief Adetunji Orisalade, leader and founding chairman, Chief Orlando S.Y.Z, first Secretary of the branch/candidate, Adaobi Okonkwo Esq, treasurer of the branch, Dr. Godwin Oroelu Agidi, leader of the branch, Israel Lagbamue Esq, former Assistant Secretary/candidate, Sir, C.C. Muoneke, leader of the branch/candidate and Oliver-Mbagwu Esq, first Assistant Secretary/leader.]]>

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