Five financial members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch, have submitted a written motion to the Branch Secretary seeking the removal of the Branch Chairman, Dr. Mazi Udegbulem, before the expiration of his tenure of office.
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The motion, dated 28 September 2026, is expressed to be brought pursuant to Article 13(6) of the Uniform Bye-Law for Branches 2025 (as amended), and states that the undersigned financial members submit the written proposal for his removal.
It was submitted alongside two further letters written the same day, one demanding access to and Certified True Copies of the branch’s financial records, and the other demanding the complete audio and visual recording of the Monthly General Meeting held on 26 September 2026.
The motion states that the proposal is founded on alleged breaches of Articles 7(1)(a) and 12(6) of the Uniform Bye-Law, arising particularly from five acts or omissions.
These are listed as the alleged misappropriation of the sum of 100 million naira received from the Government of Imo State; reckless or improper management of the funds of the branch; incurring or authorising expenditures on behalf of the branch without the prior approval or subsequent ratification of the General Meeting, where such approval or ratification is required; the alleged fraudulent inflation of the costs of expenditures and projects undertaken without the requisite approval of the General Meeting; and failure, in the discharge of his responsibilities as Chairman, to ensure the prudent and efficient utilisation of the resources of the branch.
The motion makes three demands of the Branch Secretary.
The first is that he receive and formally acknowledge the written proposal in accordance with Article 13(6) and (7) of the Uniform Bye-Law. The second is that he notify the Branch Chairman in writing of the proposal within the period prescribed by the Bye-Law. The third is that he include the proposal as a substantive item on the agenda of the October 2026 General Meeting of the branch, to be convened for its consideration and determination in accordance with the Uniform Bye-Law.
The document states that it is submitted “in the overriding interest of due process, accountability, transparency, financial responsibility, and strict compliance with the Uniform Bye-Law for Branches.”
It bears the signatures of five financial members of the branch, each with a Supreme Court number and the date 28 September 2026. They are Mr. Chukwuemeka E. Anyanwu (SCN 055036), Mr. Jude Chinonyere Arisukwu (SCN 056358), a third signatory whose name appears as Ogugwo Paschal (SCN 112938), Mr. Godwin Iyke Umah (SCN 109390) and Mr. Asilonu Mark (SCN 072275).
The copy of the motion carries a handwritten endorsement reading “Copy collected by me,” signed I. K. Ujah, Esq., and dated 28 September 2026 at 12:53 p.m.
Earlier on the same day, a separate controversy arose after the Branch Administrative Secretary, Ms. Dorcas Onyemechara, was reported to have said that the Chairman had instructed her not to receive further correspondence from anyone.
The development occurred when the motion seeking the Chairman’s removal was taken to the Bar Centre for submission. It was subsequently taken directly to the office of the Branch Secretary, Mr. Ikenna Ujah, where it was eventually submitted.
The request for the financial records, dated 28 September 2026 and addressed to the Chairman, was written by Mr. Chinedu Agu, Esq., of Credo Legal, and is made under the Freedom of Information Law of Imo State.
It requests four categories of document.
The first is the complete Statement of Account of the branch Project Account, covering the period from 23 August 2026 to the date the requested statement is generated. The second is the complete Statements of Account of all other bank accounts maintained or operated by the branch, irrespective of their names, designations or purposes, covering the period from 6 July 2026 to the date the statements are generated.
The third is all receipts, invoices, payment vouchers, purchase orders and other supporting documents relating to procurements, purchases, supplies, works, services or expenditures in respect of the Owerri Bar Centre, covering the period from 6 July 2026 to 26 September 2026. The fourth is all cheques drawn, issued or signed on any account of the branch between 6 July 2026 and 26 September 2026, together with the relevant cheque numbers, dates, amounts, payees and the accounts on which they were drawn.
The letter asks that the documents be duly certified by the appropriate officer having custody of the respective records, and states that where records are maintained electronically, electronic copies will be acceptable provided their authenticity and completeness are duly certified.
It states: “This request follows the presentation of the Branch’s financial report at the General Meeting held on 26 September 2026 and is intended to facilitate the proper examination, verification and reconciliation of the financial transactions and expenditures of the Branch during the period under review.”
The writer requests that the records be made available within the period prescribed by the applicable Freedom of Information Law of Imo State. The letter is copied to the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Financial Secretary of the branch, and carries an acknowledgement stamp of the branch signed by Ms. Dorcas Onyemechara and dated 28 September 2026.
The second letter of the same date, addressed to the Branch Secretary by the same writer, requests the complete audio and visual recording of the Monthly General Meeting held on 26 September 2026, which was conducted as a hybrid meeting.
“For completeness, this request covers the entire recording of the proceedings of the meeting, both the audio and video components, in whatever electronic format in which the recording is presently maintained or stored,” the letter states.
It asks that the recording be made available expeditiously, preferably by electronic means or through any other convenient medium through which the complete recording can be accessed or transferred.
“Given the importance of having an accurate record of the proceedings of the said meeting, I would particularly appreciate your speedy response and prompt transmission of the requested recording,” it adds. That letter also carries the branch acknowledgement stamp of the same date.
The letters were submitted on the same day that the branch constituted a five-member investigative committee to examine the expenditure of part of the funds released to it by the Imo State Government.
According to a notice issued from the Publicity Desk of the branch on 28 September 2026, the committee was approved by the Branch Executive Committee pursuant to a resolution reached at the Branch General Meeting held on Saturday, 26 September 2026. The branch further stated that the action followed a directive contained in a communication from the Attorney-General of Imo State and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Paul Obinatu, Esq., dated 28 September 2026.
The committee is chaired by Chief Soronnadi Njoku, SAN, with Mr. Okwara Adaugo as Secretary. The other members are Mr. Goodluck Nwelue, Mr. K. M. Onyeama and Mr. Onwukaike Paschal.
According to the notice, signed by the Branch Publicity Secretary, Mr. Okoronkwo Chimere Fredrick, the committee has been mandated to investigate the expenditure of part of the funds released to the branch and applied by the Executive Committee to the execution of projects. It is also empowered to obtain explanations and clarifications from persons involved in or connected with the expenditure, and thereafter to make findings and submit a report to the branch for consideration and further necessary action.
The branch said the committee was expected to conduct its assignment with fairness, diligence, transparency and fidelity to its mandate, while acting in the best interests of the branch and its members, and that the Chairman appreciated the cooperation of members as the branch moved to implement the resolutions of the General Meeting and ensure accountability in the administration of branch resources.
The dispute concerns the 100 million naira received by the branch from the Imo State Government, which formed part of a reported 350 million naira financial intervention distributed among the six branches of the association in the state ahead of the 2026 Annual General Conference.
Under the reported distribution, the Owerri branch received 100 million naira, while the five other branches in the state received 50 million naira each.
Information previously obtained by TheNigeriaLawyer indicated that part of the sum was used for improvements at the Owerri Bar Centre, including the installation of solar facilities, air-conditioning units and additional seats.
The dispute that followed centres on whether the money was ultimately used for the purpose for which members understood it had been released, and whether the expenditure on the Bar Centre projects received the required approval of the Branch General Meeting.
Nothing in the material presently available establishes that the money was diverted for the personal benefit of the Branch Chairman or of any other individual. The allegations presently concern how the funds were applied and the process by which the expenditure was authorised, rather than any established finding of personal diversion or misappropriation.
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