“I Want My Team To Hit The Ground Running” Akpata Says As He Prepares To Host NBA Newly Elected Officers At 2-Day Strategy Retreat

The incoming President of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”) Mr Olumide Akpata has concluded plans to host all the newly elected national officers of the Association to a work retreat this weekend ahead of their inauguration scheduled for 29 August 2020.

The President-elect who made this announcement while speaking with our correspondents yesterday evening disclosed that the essence of a retreat, which is taking place at an undisclosed location in Lagos State from Friday 21 August 2020 – Sunday 22 August 2020, is to enable the incoming national officers brainstorm on immediate steps that need to be taken in the interest of the Bar and the society upon assumption of office. “I want my team and I to hit the ground running immediately and I don’t believe that we should start planning and having the critical conversations only after we are inaugurated. So, I thought that the best way forward would be to sponsor a two-day work retreat for the team to agree our approach and discuss immediate next steps” Mr. Akpata said.

He restated that as an incoming Executive Committee, they are conscious of the magnitude of work facing them and he called for the continuing support and understanding of Nigerian lawyers and the general populace as they prepare to begin the journey towards Securing the Future through a United Bar that Works for All.

“Amongst other leadership, structural and operational issues that we will be dealing with at the retreat, we will develop our 2020 to 2022 Action Plan with delivery timelines by combining the ideas that each of the officers promised Nigerian lawyers in their respective manifestos so as to have a plan that is implementable and acceptable to all. We will also be considering and incorporating some of the wonderful ideas and plans that Ajibade SAN and Dele Adesina SAN clearly enunciated in their manifestos. I consider that very important as a means to ensuring that the Bar does not lose the benefits of their ideas”, Akpata concluded.

Meanwhile this is coming on the heels of the outcome of the NBA Board of Trustees’ consideration of the petition submitted by Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN challenging the just concluded election. In a letter dated 19 August 2020 and signed the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN the Board of Trustees refused to cancel the election as petitioned, and instead called on all lawyers especially the candidates to work together to promote a cohesive, united and strong Bar.