Fmr. Chairman Of NBA Nnewi Branch, Ugwuanyi Raises Concern Over Its Branch’s NEC Rep Election

— Says proposed accredited voters list marred with irregularities
— Urges electoral committee to conduct fresh verification of voters

The former chairman, Nnewi branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, P.C. Ugwuanyi Esq., has expressed his dissatisfaction with the Election Committee’s decision to adopt the voters’ list used by the branch’s 2020 Election Committee in conducting a new election for the year,2021.

This was disclosed in a letter dated 23rd March 2021, addressed to the Chairman, Election Committee, Sam Onyia, Esq, sighted by TheNigerialawyer

TheNigeriaLawyer recalls that the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association [NBA-NEC], at its meeting held on the 19th of March, 2021 in Uyo, directed that NBA Nnewi should conduct an election to fill up the slot meant for the branch’s NEC Rep.

A sequel, to the directives of NEC, the Election Committee released a notice for the election, stating that the election will be conducted tomorrow, 26th March 2021 and that the list of accredited voters for the branch Election that took place on the 26th of June, 2020, would be adopted for the election.

However, the former Chairman¸ P.C. Ugwuanyi Esq, in his letter is calling for a fresh verification of voters since the 2020 Election Committee via paragraph 1.08 of the report presented to the General Meeting of the branch admitted that Section 16(2) of the Uniform Bye-Law was grossly compromised in course of publishing the voters’ list.

Ugwuanya relied on the report presented by the 2020 Election Committee which is in Paragraph “1.08, VERIFICATION OF VOTER” and the report states as follows:

“The Committee pursuant to Constitution 2015 (as amended) verified the voters. After the verification exercise, the names of those that did not qualify to vote during the election were separated from those that qualified to vote and subsequently the Secretary of the committee was mandated by the election Committee to publish ONLY the names of those that qualify to vote pursuant to S.16(2) of the NBA Bye-Law 2015 (as amended). However, against the Committee’s direction to the Secretary to publish the names of qualified voters only, the Committee discovered after the election that the Secretary acted against the decision of the committee by including the names of those who were not qualified to vote in his publication. In a meeting of the Committee after the election, the secretary of the Committee duly apologized to the members of the Committee for his Conduct.”

In the letter, Ugwuanyi is contending that it will be unconstitutional to adopt the said 2020 voters’ list for the election of the branch’s NEC Rep., knowing clearly that it was compromised.

The letter reads in parts

“Sir, you are not unaware that the NBA Nnewi 2020 Election Committee headed by Chikodili Nwaogwugwu, Esq, via paragraph 1.08 of the report is presented to the General Meeting of the branch by the 2020 Election Committee, admitted that Section 16(2) of the association’s Uniform Bye-law was grossly breached in the course of preparing the said voters’ list which was used for the said election held on the 26th June 2020.

“You are aware that till date, none of the members of the said NBA, Nnewi 2020 Election Committee has countered or denied the content of the said report.

“I am not unaware that the President of the Nigerian Bar Association during the Association’s NEC Meeting held on the 19th March, 2021made it very clear that the election of NEC-REP of our branch must be in strict compliance with the provisions of the Uniform Bye-law,” he stated.

He, therefore, urged the Chairman of the Committee to conduct fresh verification of voters, to get the actual list of voters who will be qualified to vote in line with the provisions of the Bye-law