The Electoral Committee of the Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) has released timetable and guidelines for the 2021 election into its Governing Council.

The Committee, in a statement signed by it’s Chairman, Peace Ama-Eletuo, and secretary Chima Ejie, says the positions to be contested as provided under Article 4(3) include Chairman; Vice Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer; Financial Secretary; Welfare Secretary; Publicity Secretary; Legal Adviser and Assistant Secretary and there shall not be two (2) Officers from one state in the Governing Council. They relied on Article 4(4) of the Forum’s constitution.

According to them, nominations (Sale of forms) will be open on 6th day of May, 2021, and close on 6th day of June, 2021 at 6pm prompt. Screening of candidates shall commence from 6th of June, 2021 to the 30th day of June, 2021.

All forms shall be collected from the office of the Eleco Chairman (08035483320). Completed Nomination Forms should be scanned, converted to PDF format & sent to the Electoral Committee via Whatsapp on 08035483320 or sent manually by courier

They noted that the Forum is divided into two blocs for the purpose of the election of members of the Governing Council.

They explained that “the position of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are to rotate among the two blocs. The Offices of Chairman and Treasurer shall further rotate jointly to one bloc while the Offices of Vice Chairman and Secretary shall rotate jointly to the other bloc.

“The two blocs are Bloc ‘A’ comprising; Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, Enugu State and Imo State and Bloc ‘B’ comprising of Akwa-Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Cross River State and Rivers State.

“A candidate contesting for any of the offices mentioned above must be a duly registered member of the Forum and must have attained the post enrolment qualification as at the date of the election into the affected office as follows:

“a) Chairman, Vice Chairman – 15 years. b) Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser – ten (10) years. c) Publicity Secretary, Welfare Secretary – eight (8) years. d) Assistant Secretary – five (5) years,”

It added that candidates must have attended a minimum of three quarterly meetings of the Forum within eighteen (18) months from the day of the last election before the call for nomination.

They must also be validly nominated/sponsored in writing by two members who are as qualified as the aspirant and, such sponsors shall not nominate/sponsor more than one candidate for this election.

It said the above guidelines followed the committee’s inauguration and ratification at the EBF general meeting of April 24, 2021, at the Customary Court of Appeal Hall, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The guidelines, it explained, conformed to the EBF’s 2015 Constitution as amended and adopted on July 8, 2020, and time table for the 2021 Eastern Bar Forum Elections

Furthermore, that campaign opens from the 16th Day of May 2021 to 10.am on the day of the election and must be conducted in decent and orderly manner; no candidate shall be permitted to attack the person or character of his/her opponent in his/her campaign.

They said to be eligible to vote in the Governing Council Election, one must meet the criteria in Article 7(1) (a-k) and also Article 7(2)(3)(4) of the Forum’s constitution.

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