Fmr. NBA President, Augustine Alegeh Congratulates The 30th President Elect, Olumide Akpata, Urges Him To Run An All Inclusive Bar

The 26th President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Augustine Alegeh SAN, FCIArb [UK], has congratulated the President-elect of the Association, Olumide Akpata.

The Chairman of the Election Committee Nigerian Bar Association, Tawo .E. Tawo SAN, was on Friday declared Akpata, as the new President of the NBA.

Alegeh in his congratulatory message to Akpata thanked all those who contested in the election. He also urged the President-elect to run an all-inclusive Bar.

Read his message below

I most heartily congratulate Olumide Akpata Esq. on his election as the 30th President of the NBA. I also felicitate with the other elected National Officers on their victory at the polls and urge Members of our Association to support the newly elected National Officers as they take steps to deliver on their mandate to lead the Bar for the next 2 years.

I specially commend my Learned Brothers Silk, Dele Adesina SAN [Past General Secretary] and Dr. Babatunde Ajibade SAN who contested for the Office of President, for their maturity and candor. I urge them as true leaders of the Bar to work with the incoming President in his efforts to make Our Association better. This is a time for unity in the best interest of the Association. I also implore all other candidates who were unsuccessful at the election to continue to contribute their quota towards the development of the Bar.

The elections are over and we need to come together as a family to offer our support, advice and encouragement to the newly elected National Officers to enable them succeed in the task of delivering on the core mandate of the Bar. We must appreciate the fact that elections are never perfect and I trust that the incoming administration will improve on the gains recorded in the electronic voting system that guarantees universal suffrage under our Constitution. We must appreciate the fact that without electronic voting it would not have been possible for us to hold this election during this COVID-19 pandemic. We must keep improving our electronic voting system.

I cannot end this message without commending the Paul Usoro SAN led administration for the successful conduct of the elections and the efforts so far in moving the Bar forward on several fronts.

I know that the Incoming-President will be magnanimous in victory and will run an all-inclusive administration geared towards improving the NBA to handle its core mandate of promoting the rule of law, human rights as well as the welfare of its Members.

Congratulations.
30th July, 2020

Augustine Alegeh SAN, FCIArb [UK]
Past President, NBA [2014 – 2016]
Life Bencher
Trustee, Nigerian Bar Association