Crisis Hits NBA Kano Branch As 30 Concerned Lawyers Protest Election Guidelines, Alleging Disenfranchisement & Candidate Handpicking

*Demand Electoral Guidelines Review Within 5 Days 

Concerned Members from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Kano Branch have written a letter of protest to the Electoral Committee, expressing their dissatisfaction with the recently released guidelines for the upcoming 2024 branch elections.

The lawyers argue that the guidelines tend to disenfranchise many eligible voters and disqualify potential candidates from contesting or participating in the election.

The letter, signed by 30 lawyers, acknowledges the efforts of the Electoral Committee in issuing the guidelines despite the late constitution of the committee.

However, the lawyers claim that the inclusion of ‘anniversary’ as a yardstick for assessing years of eligibility, instead of post-call, appears to be a ploy to handpick certain candidates of interest. They believe this action could portend a bad image for the Kano Bar, the legal space, and Nigeria as a nation that believes in democratic principles and ethos.

The lawyers drew attention to the unreported case of Olumide Babalola V. The Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria (FHC/ABJ/925/2018), which settled the issue of computing years of call for a legal practitioner in Nigeria. The judgment stated that a person’s post-call year begins to count from the year they were called to the bar, and they must pay practicing fees for that year. The lawyers argue that the Electoral Committee should observe and comply with this authority in determining the eligibility of candidates.

The group expressed concern that the use of ‘anniversary’ deviates from the established principle and appears to be an attempt to disqualify otherwise eligible candidates, especially those called to the bar in 2015, from contesting for significant offices such as the Chairmanship and other key positions. They called for the deletion of the term ‘anniversary’ as a means of reckoning eligibility years in the forthcoming election to ensure fairness and inclusiveness.

The lawyers emphasized that denying eligible candidates their right to contest based on a narrow and self-serving interpretation of years of eligibility would not only disenfranchise members but also undermine the principles of democracy and constitutional rights within the association.

They have given the Electoral Committee five working days to retrace its steps and rectify the issue. The letter was copied to the NBA President, the Chairman of the NBA Kano Branch, the Attorney General of Kano State, and the Chief Judge of Kano State.

The lawyers expressed their confidence in the Electoral Committee to be an unbiased umpire in the forthcoming elections and to set a good precedent according to the law, granting everyone a level playing field for equality, fairness, and justice.

Our correspondence gathered that when the Bailiff attempted to serve the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, he declined service. This development further raises concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process within the NBA Kano Branch. The refusal of the Chairman to accept the protest letter may be seen as an attempt to avoid addressing the issues raised by the group of lawyers.