NBA Kano NEC Meeting: Top Issues Deliberated At The Meeting

As the NBA NEC meeting in Kano comes to an end, many issues have been raised for deliberations, such as the National Election matters, the oncoming Annual General Conference, issues on the secretariat reports and so on. The Publicity Secretary of the Kano branch of the NBA, Yusuf Abdulsalam, told journalists at the event that the gathering of the leaders of the Bar in Kano is a quarterly constitutional requirement in our association, and the aim has always been to review the state of affairs in the association, in the judiciary and in the country at large. The Kano meeting is peculiar because it about the last to be held under the leadership of A. B. Mahmoud. TheNigerialawyer gathered that the registration fees for the next NBA conference has been fixed and announced. According to the information gathered, early bird registration for legal practitioners for 1 to 5 years post call is N25k; regular, 40k onsite/late entry, 60k; 6 to 10 years, 35k for early bird; 50k for regular and 80k for onsite/late entry. For those of 11 to 15 years, 50k was fixed as fee for the early bird, 65k for regular and 90k onsite/late entry; 16 to 20 years, 70k for early bird, 85k for regular and 100,000 for onsite/late entry. For above 20 years, 100k was fixed for early bird, 120k for regular, 150k for onsite/late entry while SANS, AGS, and benchers are to pay the sum of 250k across board. Abuja was chosen as venue for the NBA AGC to be held in August 2018. The NBA President, A.B. Mahmoud SAN also explained why the ban on campaign for the upcoming NBA National Election may not be lifted. He explained that this is to forestall “political party type of campaign” “As we are aware the process is much underway. We have made our best effort to ensure that our elections regain the character of elections as in other respected bar associations rather than of political parties. We were determined to curtail the political party type campaigns. “Therefore the ban of campaigns as we were used to will remain in place only to send the message that our campaigns are not in consonance with our constitutional provisions neither do they promote the good image our association.” Speaking on the strategic partnership which is being established with various law societies and bar associations, he stated that the NBA has continued to build its partnerships with various law societies and bar associations as well as International Development partners across the world. According to him, the British Nigeria Law Forum is working with NBA, a strategic partner for the delivery of the NBA Annual Conference this year. “So also American Bar Association who are considering holding a showcase session during the conference. Indeed the American Bar Association has invited me to give a keynote speech later this month at the opening of its Africa Regional Conference at Cape Town South Africa. “The preparation for the NBA annual conference is on full steam. I want to thank all our members of the TCCP working hard on this. We are determined to build on the successes of the last Conference. We have extended an invitation to Mr. Barrack Obama former president of the United States to be the keynote speaker, although we have no assurance yet, but there are indications that the invitation is receiving good attention,” he said. The meeting did not end without the presentation of reports from committees as it is conventional in a NEC meeting. According to Page 26 of the Secretariat Report, which is the Treasurer’s Report, item A4 most precisely shows how much that was generated by NBA via Stamp for the months of February to March, 2018. The amount is said to be N121,845,293. Apart from revenue gotten from BPF (N515,504,556), stamp was the highest revenue generator to NBA. It was argued that if stamp does not expire, NBA wouldn’t have generated such amount to run its activities. NEC also reaffirmed NBA Electoral Committee conditions for nomination and collection of forms to contest 2018 NBA election. After an erudite presentation by Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, NEC members adopted his committee’s report as contained in NEC bundle, pages 37-47. NEC members were asking for extension of time to submit their voters list as deadline for submission, is May 11th and none raised any issue with the conditions set out by the Electoral Committee. The conditions are among others; evidence of payment of Practicing Fee for the past 3 (three), years, that is 2016, 2017, and 2018. The said Practicing fees must have been paid as at when due, letter of Good Standing from Chairman Branch of Candidate, Sponsors and Seconder respectively. Also received by the NBA President is the proposed NBA Constitution Amendment report from the Chairman NBA Constitution Review Committee, Mallam Yusuf Ali SAN.]]>