NBA 2020 DECIDES: Brief Insights Into The Manifestos Of NBA Presidential Candidates

AS the count down continues towards the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Elections, the candidates for the various offices have released their manifestos. Meanwhile, the three Presidential Aspirants to wit: Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN, Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN and Mr. Olumide Akpata have all released their respective manifestos for the office of President of the African largest Bar.

Meanwhile, their detailed manifestos which were made available to TheNigeriaLawyer spanned from 30, 26 and 43 pages respectively.

In this light, after a careful review of the three manifestos, below are the brief insights into their plans for the office of the President of NBA:

BRIEF KEY AGENDAS OF DELE ADESINA, SAN

MY VISION FOR THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION

MY MISSION

My mission shall be to secure the future of the Legal Profession. In doing this, the NBA under my leadership will take strategic plans and actions to:

S– Strengthen its role and relevance to its members.

T– Take pro-active efforts to change the present negative perceptions that the Legal Profession is one of the problems of the Nation.

S- Strategically and vigorously pursue the defence and promotion of the Rule of Law.

D- Defend, preserve and promote the independence of the Legal profession, lawyers and Judges in the practice of their Profession.

 PROGRAMME OF ACTION: ELEVEN (11) POINT AGENDA

POINT 1: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• My administration shall be based on full democracy, consultation, openness, accountability, financial discipline and professionalization of the National Secretariat.
• Building the capacity of the branches being the main focus for the development of the Association. Only registered and active members of branches will be recognised as members of NBA.
• Strengthen The administrative and institutional structure of the National Secretariat of NBA for a more efficient and effective operation and service delivery
• The current institutional framework for budgeting and accounting shall be sustained with a view to enforce financial discipline and transparency. To the existing structure and standing Committees of the Association, I shall put in place:

NBA Presidential Council for Strategic Action, Support and Direction of the Association

– A pro-active Legislative Advocacy Group;

– A functional Rule of Law Action Group to monitor, superintend and take effective actions against all infractions on Rule of Law and violations of the provisions of the Constitution.

POINT 2: GENERAL WELFARE OF LAWYERS

• Restriction of range of documentations that can be undertaken by non-Legal Practitioners.
• Explore opportunities with ECOWAS institutions, Ministries of Justice and Bar Associations to expand the frontiers of law practice for ECOWAS sub?region.
• Provision of a comprehensive Group Life Insurance Policy for Nigerian Lawyers, old or young, junior or senior.

1. d) The Executive shall liaise with the Pension Service providers in Nigeria to put in place a Pension Scheme arrangement for private Legal Practitioners.
2. e) The provision of the Professional Practice Stamp to lawyers without further payment upon payment of Bar Practising Fees and Branch Dues.

POINT 3: YOUNG LAWYERS AND JUNIOR MEMBERS OF THE BAR:

I will undertake innovative programmes that will empower the young and junior Lawyers for a sustainable and successful future. This could be achieved by:

1. a) Establishment of a Professional Practice Support Trust Fund (P.P.S.F.) for junior lawyers to set-up own practice. Junior lawyers between 1–7 years post call shall be entitled to draw fund from the P.P.S.F. subject to repayment within five (5) years.
2. b) Establishment of NBA Equipment Leasing Scheme to assist in financing procurement of office equipment for members between 1–7 years post call.
3. c) To put in place pragmatic and functional policy of mentorship at all branches of the Association through a National Strategic Mentorship Scheme.
4. d) Strategic engagement with the Nigerian Police with a view to stop Police brutalisation and other forms of abuses of Legal Practitioners in all branches of the Association.
5. e) Pro-active steps to stop encroachment of legal services by non-Legal Practitioners.
6. f) Ensuring an enhanced remuneration system for services rendered including standardization of Legal Practitioner’s fees for preparation of legal documents and instruments.
7. g) Enhanced public employment opportunities for young Lawyers.
8. h) To ensure that only Lawyers will prosecute cases at lower Courts in accordance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
9. i) Employment of mandatory Legal Officers in all Local Governments and Development Areas.
10. j) Enhancing employment of lawyers into public institutions by ensuring public bodies undertake their legal work and prosecution by hiring legal officers.
11. k) Appointment of Legal Research Assistants for all Judges and Justices of Record.
12. l) Recognising that the Young Lawyers Forum as an institution is the voice of the young lawyers in NBA and improving their professional development and welfare. To this end, my administration will focus on:

i- Re-invigoration and statutory funding of the platform of Young Lawyers Forum;

ii- Robust Continuing Legal Education/training;

iii- Representation of Young Lawyers on the National Executive Committee of the Association.

POINT 4: GLOBALISATION OF LEGAL PRACTICE

To safeguard the practice environment in Nigeria for Nigerian Legal Practitioners by avoiding a one-sided traffic of foreign legal practitioners to Nigeria without reciprocal access to legal practice beyond our shores.

My leadership shall within Sixty (60) days in Office set up a high powered Committee of experts to examine the issue of globalisation of legal practice and recommend ways and standards for full participation and reciprocal benefit of transnational legal practice by our Legal Practitioners.

POINT 5: LAWYERS WITH DISABILITIES

• My leadership shall in consultation with the Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria constitute the Lawyers with Disabilities Forum that will focus on the needs of this category of our members in order to realise their full potentials in the Profession.
• The Association through the instrumentality of the Forum shall fight against all forms of discrimination and ensure that qualified and competent Lawyers have equal access with other members of the Association.
• The Association shall champion the implementation of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2019 and establishment of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities including making public buildings accessible to persons with disabilities.

POINT 6: THE JUDICIARY AND PROMOTION OF EFFICIENT JUSTICE DELIVERY

OBJECTIVES

• To fight delay and congestion in the judicial process.
• To mount sustained campaign against judicial corruption and reverse perception of corrupt judiciary so as to rekindle public trust in the Judiciary and legal profession.

JUSTICE REFORM SUMMIT

Within Ninety (90) days in Office, my leadership shall organise a Justice Reform Summit of all stake-holders in the justice sector to critically appraise the state of administration of Justice in Nigeria and recommend means for a better, assuring and satisfactory administration of justice.

The terms of reference of the Summit shall include but not limited to:

1. Strategies to decisively address delay and congestion,
2. Judicial corruption,
3. Adequacy or otherwise of budgetary allocation to the Judiciary,
4. Technological automation of judicial process,
5. Appointment of judicial officers,
6. Adequacy of remuneration, incentives and the general condition of service of judicial officers,
7. The restoration of credibility and integrity of our judicial system,
8. Strategies for reducing the workload of appellate Courts,
9. The need for Constitutional Courts and general impact of political cases on our court system,
10. Generally making the judicial system responsive to the expectations of the society.

POINT 7: RULE OF LAW AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY:

• The Bar shall commend when necessary and condemn when circumstances so call and shall vigorously defend the independence of the Judiciary, the independence of Lawyers and Judges, the oppressed, the abused, the cheated, the weak and the poor.
• The NBA shall wage sustained war against impunity, arbitrariness, high-handedness, misgovernance, misuse and abuse of power and injustice in all ramifications.
• The leadership shall focus attention on PRO BONO by following up on the NBA Pro Bono Declaration through the setting up of structures and programmes.
• My leadership shall play an active role in PUBLIC INTEREST issues such as decongestion and reform of Correctional facilities, Police Reform, Pre?trial Justice and Detention, Child Rights, Violence against Women, Electoral Reform and Process, and Security.

POINT 8: PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE AND CODE OF CONDUCT

• The NBA under my leadership shall give priority attention to enforcement of the Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics. To this end, my leadership shall ensure that:
• Legal Practitioners abide by the Rules of Professional Ethics by becoming standard bearers of what is good, noble and excellent.
• Strategic attention shall be focused on the duty of Counsel to their Clients including in particular the duty to advise Clients against filing of hopeless cases and abuse of Court process.
• Strategic attention shall also be focused on the duty of Counsel to Court as Ministers in the temple of Justice.
• The NBA shall pay attention to decent advocacy by discouraging the use of debasing, scathing and foul languages against opposing Counsel and parties in Court.
• Attention shall be focused on fast tracking the process of professional discipline by the Legal Practitioner’s Disciplinary Committee and ensure prompt and effective determination of allegation of infractions on the part of any legal practitioner.

POINT 9: LEGAL EDUCATION AND REFORMING THE MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

• My leadership shall within Ninety (90) days in Office embark on Rapid Assessment of the problem of legal education in Nigeria.
• At that, it will organize Legal Education Summit to consider the challenges and produce a Strategic Policy Document that will articulate practical solutions to the problem and recommend further areas of intervention by the NBA in legal education in Nigeria.

POINT 10: ANTI-CORRUPTION

• The NBA under my leadership will play a very supportive and collaborative role with the authorities of the State to fight corruption within the context of the Rule of Law and due process.
• NBA will direct its effort towards a strategic study of identifying the CAUSES of corruption and advise authorities accordingly.

POINT 11: STRATEGIC COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NBA LEADERSHIP, SECTIONS, FORUMS AND RELATED BODIES

• The Leadership of NBA shall ensure strategic collaboration between the NBA, its Sections, Forums and other bodies such as the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Law Officers Association of Nigeria, Law Teachers Association of Nigeria, Association of Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria, Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers.

BRIEF KEY AGENDAS OF DR. AJIBADE SAN,

“The foundation of my manifesto is the need to build A UNITED BAR because, “A House Divided against Itself Cannot Stand”.”

PHILOSOPHY- UNITY AND CONTINUITY

• As I highlight my plans and aspirations for the NBA, I will try to establish the linkages between closing the divisions that exist in the legal profession and the attainment of my goals.
• It is my intention to draw on those aspects of the policies and programmes of the successive administration that I consider beneficial, with a view to sustaining and pursuing them in the best interests of the Association.
• I intend to continue with the Legal Practitioners Regulatory Review Project commenced by President A. B. Mahmoud, SAN in which he pushed for a review of the statutory regime governing the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria
• I also intend to continue the process commenced by President Paul Usoro, SAN in which he has prioritized transparency, financial prudence and the implementation of proper management practices in the affairs of the NBA at national level.

 PRIORITY AIM AND OBJECTS

• I have made a conscious choice to prioritise the objects contained in the NBA constitution that have a direct bearing on the welfare of members of the Association. All the objects stated in the NBA’s Constitution are important and focusing on the aforementioned does not imply that I will neglect the others.

SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES

PART 1- WELFARE

WELFARE- THE JUDICIARY

• I will agitate for enhancement of the remuneration, conditions of service and post service entitlements of all judicial officers in Nigeria.

 WELFARE- THE BAR

• I will mobilize the NBA to do all that it can to improve the welfare and well-being, economic and otherwise, of all its members. This will be done by engaging with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorneys General of the States of the Federation to convene a meeting of the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee whose purpose will be to establish, and where applicable, review the scale of charges for legal work.
• As a prelude to the aforementioned, I will engage with various sectoral players in the Organised Private Sector, such as the Bankers’ Committee, the Chambers of Commerce and others, to secure their input into the acceptability of minimum fees and scales of charges to be set for various aspects of legal work.
• I will also engage with the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of the States of the Federation to work out modalities and mechanisms for ensuring that no legal practitioner charges below the minimum fees established or to be established by these scales and schedules.
• I will also engage with the Organised Private Sector, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of the States of the Federation to work out modalities for strengthening the scope and implementation of local content policies as they relate to the legal profession.
• I will also engage with the Attorney-General of the Federation, in his capacity as Chairman of the Bar Council, to update and amend the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) made pursuant to section 11(4) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Cap. L11, LFN 2004 where necessary.
• I will engage with the Organised Private Sector on the need to cease and desist from promoting or encouraging the provision of legal services by non-legal professionals; and the provision of legal services to third parties by legal professionals who are not engaged in private practice and are thus not authorized to provide such legal services.

WELFARE- REMUNERATION

• I will conduct a detailed survey to establish and make recommendations for the minimum remuneration to be earned by legal practitioners of varying levels of experience in employment in the different parts of the country.
• I would also explore the potential of utilizing market driven mechanisms such as remuneration and compensation league tables to encourage movement in the right direction.

WELFARE-CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

• The NBA under my watch will prescribe and make recommendations as to the minimum conditions of service that ought to be observed in any contract of employment involving a lawyer.

WELFARE- PRACTISING FEES

• I will seek a review of the provision of Rule 9 of the RPC, which has been interpreted to mean that practicing fees paid by lawyers enrolled subsequent to 31st March in any given year shall count for that year only and that New Wigs would be liable to pay another set of practicing fees as of 1st January in the following year

WELFARE- SEXUAL HARASSMENT,  BULLYING AND OTHER PREDATORY CONDUCT

• I would work in tandem with the relevant sections, committees and fora of the NBA to devise means of addressing this scourge of sexual harassment and other predatory conduct
• I will work with the NBA Women’s Forum and other female lawyers’ associations across the board to agree on modalities for:
• Defining what is acceptable and what is unacceptable conduct in this regard;
• Making it easier to report and apprehend such conduct as well as to provide guidance to victims as to means of ensuring that complaints are supported by credible evidence
• Ensuring that any revision to the Rules of Professional Conduct will include the incorporation of specific provisions addressing this issue.

WELFARE- TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• I would get the NBA to provide comprehensive induction training for New Wigs aimed at introducing them to the various career options that exist in the legal profession and sensitizing them to the benefits and satisfaction that can be derived from these various options.
• I would also get the NBA to liaise with as wide a variety of individuals, firms and organisations as possible to organize careers fairs and other means and methods of finding placements for New Wigs along these various career paths.
• I would get the NBA to put a structured training and mentorship scheme in place for those who wish to strike out on their own
• I would get the NBA to enter into negotiations with development financial institutions aimed at securing loans for start up law firms on preferential and favourable terms.
• I would enter into negotiations with a wide variety of organisations with a view to securing deep discounts for members of the NBA.
• I would ensure that every member of the Association receives more value for his/her membership, with a particular focus on the young lawyers, who are the future of the profession.

 WELFARE- TECHNOLOGY

• The current NBA administration has taken positive steps with regard to integrating the use of technology in advancing the cause of the legal profession, thus, I will leverage and build on this good work by ensuring that the NBA makes maximum use of available technology to achieve its various objectives.
• I will explore various platforms that can be used to improve on the NBA’s data gathering, information dissemination and management.  I will also explore various means of providing digital learning and training to members.
• I will get the NBA to institute a series of regular educational webinars for members.
• I will get the NBA to employ the use of technology with relation to the stamp and seal requirement under the RPC.
• I will ensure that the NBA builds and expands on all these initiatives and maximizes the use of available technology to achieve its various objectives.

WELFARE- BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• The NBA under my leadership will develop conscious strategies to assist in developing business for lawyers.
• Under my watch, the NBA will take steps to enlighten the public as to the variety of roles that lawyers can play, outside of traditional dispute resolution and by so doing seek to generate more business for the legal professional

WELFARE- A STANDING WELFARE SCHEME

• I will aim to put a sustainable standing and well-funded welfare scheme in place, with properly designed parameters for its funding over time by regular deductions from member’s Bar Practicing Fees and any other viable sources.

PART 2- JUSTICE SECTOR REFORM-

ADMINISTRATION OF THE COURTS

• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels and with the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and the Attorneys-General of the States of the Federation to encourage a transition from the current system in which our judicial officers are responsible for the administration of the courts as well as the administration of justice and to work out the modalities for this transition.

 RESOURCES, MANPOWER AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels; with the Federal Attorney-General and the Attorneys-General of all the States; with the members of the National and State Houses of Assembly; and with all officials and relevant stakeholders that have a role to play in ensuring that the justice sector receives the resources it needs to perform its role adequately.
• I will also engage with identifiable stakeholders with a view to ensuring that the principles of judicial independence and judicial autonomy enshrined in our Constitution are recognized and enforced. Simultaneously I will seek to ensure the judiciary’s accountability for the judicious application of the resources that it receives.

TECHNOLOGY IN THE JUSTICE SECTOR

• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels; with the Federal Attorney-General and the Attorneys-General of all the States to ensure that steps are taken to integrate the use of technology into our justice delivery processes at all levels, to enhance the efficiency of the justice sector

ADMINISTRATION OF CIVIL JUSTICE BILL

• I will seek to ensure that the NBA gives its full support to the enactment of this Bill or its variants for application in our courts.

CHANGE OF ORIENTATION- THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA

• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria in his capacity as Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee and with the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to agree on alternative criteria for appointment to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria that are not quantitative but qualitative.
• I would suggest that the number of cases that an applicant has been able to settle out of court subsequent to the declaration of a dispute and initiation of proceedings or through alternative dispute resolution methods should be a relevant criterion for elevation to the rank.
• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels to implement a procedure for the scheduling of cases, such that counsel and parties will be allocated specific dates and time periods for their matters to be heard.

PART 3- REGULATION AND DISCIPLINE

• I will engage actively with all stakeholders to revamp and where applicable, seek to reform our self-regulatory and disciplinary functions.

 THE JUDICIARY

• I will engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels to request that these perceived structural defects be addressed.
• I will also seek to ensure that steps are put in place to ensure that the current practice in which dissatisfied parties resort to petitions to the NJC rather than exercise their right of appeal is actively discouraged.
• I will, on behalf of the NBA, engage with the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Heads of Court at Federal and State levels to put measures in place to ensure that the right to issue a complaint concerning judicial conduct by way of petition to the NJC is further regulated so as to discourage frivolous petitions and ensure that such petitions must only be made by counsel.

THE BAR

• Seek a re-composition of the membership of the LPDC so as to ensure that challenges to the competence of its decisions arising from its composition are addressed
• Seek a complete review and overhaul of the Legal Practitioners (Disciplinary Committee) Rules to streamline and liberalise the process for making, receiving and investigating complaints against lawyers
• Enhance the automation of the complaints management process, to make it more responsive
• Liaise with the NBA Branches who have the primary responsibility for investigating complaints against lawyers to ensure such investigations are completed within an agreed timeframe
• Devolve and decentralize the disciplinary process so as to ensure that disciplinary proceedings can take place closer to the Branches where the allegations emanate
• Devote greater resources to the efficient running of the disciplinary process.
• I will take concrete steps to simplify and make efficient, the disciplinary and regulatory processes that relate to the enforcement of these rules and do my utmost to ensure a system of efficient and even handed regulation and discipline.

PART 4- SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

YOUNG LAWYERS FORUM

• I will promote and protect the interests of the Young Lawyers by providing them with access to mentoring, training, capacity building and opportunities for self-development.

 OTHER SPECIALISED LAW ASSOCIATIONS OR FORA

• I will honour the commitments made to Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) and the Association for Lawyers with Disabilities in Nigeria (ALDIN) and give full support to the recognition of these groupings and any other fora that seek affiliation with the NBA. 

BRIEF KEY AGENDAS OF OLUMIDE AKPATA

MISSION:

My mission for the NBA is to REPOSITION our Association to serve the overall interest of its members in particular,and the Nigerian populace in general.

A FOUR WAY APPROACH TO TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP 

1. THE BAR AND ITS MEMBERS

• Welfare Fund for NBA Branches : My administration shall ensure that the refund to Branches of 10% of the Bar Practising Fees (“BPF”) attributed to each Branch shall be paid promptly and, in any case, in April of every year during my tenure.
• Remuneration of Lawyers : Whilst the advocacy for the amendment of the Legal Practitioners Act  will be ongoing, my administration will,as an interim measure, establish (within one month of my inauguration) a distinct NBA Remuneration Committee to devise feasible ways to improve the poor remuneration of legal practitioners and also make recommendations to the NBA President for onward representation to the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee established under the LPA.
• Standardisation of Fees and Charges: To activate this agenda, one of my first tasks as President of the NBA will be to table before the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee, on the recommendation of the NBA Remuneration Committee that I will establish, a request for the drafting of an updated Legal Practitioners (Remuneration for Legal Documentation and Other Land Matters) Order to reflect current economic realities.
• Expanding and Deepening the Legal Services Market :  It is therefore at the core of my mandate for the NBA to expand and deepen the market for legal services in Nigeria and consequentially increase the financial standing of members
• Protecting the Business of Lawyers  : We will adopt a four-prongedapproach in solving this . Firstly, we will engage with the affected non-lawyer organisationsand bodies and demand that they desist from such practices. Secondly, if the first approach does not yield the desired results, we will resort to legislative advocacy for more stringent position on the exclusive preserve of lawyers in those areas. Lastly, the NBA under my administration shall set up aTask Force to determine the scope of legal work that is statutorily prescribed to be the exclusive preserve of Nigerian lawyers and to work out modalities for ensuring that only members of our Association get to do such work.
• Stamp and Seal : The NBA under my leadership will further improve the process of making the Stamp and Seal policy seamless.
• Health Insurance :my administration will seek to set a medical health fund with an initial minimum value of N100,000,000.00 in order to help such members subscribe to the scheme and establish working relationships with good hospitals across Nigeria to agree discounts on bills for members of our Association.
• Improved NBA Life Assurance Policy : NBA shall negotiate a more favourable deal with our insurance policy provider (and pay additional premium, from its own funds, if required) that would result in an upward review of benefits to members as follows: N2Million, in the event of death or complete incapacitation resulting, from an accident or ill-health (i.e. doubling the current N1Million) and N1Million in the event of terminal sickness or an accident resulting in partial incapacitation, (i.e. doubling the current sum of N500,000.00).
• Young Lawyers: My administration shall also ensure adequate representation of young lawyers in all appointments made in the two years of my Presidency as a means of mentoring, empowering and preparing them for future leadership in the profession.
• Lawyers With Disabilities: As President of the NBA, I will champion the creation of an NBA Lawyers with Disabilities Forumand also ensure that the Chairman of the Forum is given a statutory slot on the NBA-NEC to provide a strong voice for the interests and plights of our colleagues with disabilities.
• Aged Lawyers : My administration will also explore ways to introduce programmes that will honour and recognise members of the Association who have made notable contributions to the Association in one form or the other, including past national officers of the Association.
• Abuse and harassment of lawyers : my administration with me leading from the front shall challenge any instance of abuse and harassment of lawyers by the security agencies when not dealt with in a satisfactory manner by the top echelon of the relevant security agency.
• Lawyers’ Defence Fund : my administration shall set up a Lawyers’ Defence Fund to cater for the needs of lawyers who are victims of human rights violation by the securities agencies
• Protection of Lawyers against Sexual Harassment : Provision of sexual arrasesment policy; Elevating sexual harassment against a lawyer to professional misconduct would have a significant deterrent effect; Thirdly, there must be a distinct complaint mechanism for sexual assault within the NBA that is both confidential and effective; provision of career support to the victim and assist the victim with the process of securing another employment.
• Access to Finance/Establishment of an NBA Micro-Finance Bank : I will set up a task force made up of lawyers with Banking & Finance and similar experience to examinethe modalities and possibility for the establishment of an NBA Micro-Finance Bank
• The NBA Education Fund : I will engage with senior members of the Bar and corporate organizations favourable to the NBA, to set up a Post-Graduate Education Fund for the young lawyers who qualify based on needs and academic achievements
• NBA Women Forum: The NBA under my administration shall continue to advocate for our Women in Law, and indeed all other vocations, to increasingly occupy their rightful place in the society
• Corporate/In-House Counsel : As President of the NBA, I will champion the creation of a Corporate Counsel Forumand also ensure that a representative of the Forum is given a statutory slot on the NBA-NEC.
• Law Officers : My administration shall empower the NBA Law Officers’ Forum to adequately represent the interest of law officers.
• Other Important Fora: Three other extremely important fora that my administration will establish/strengthen are the Law Teachers Forum; Lawyers in Police, Military and Other Forces Forum; and the Lawyers in Legislature Forum.

2.THE BAR AND THE SOCIETY

• Administration of Justice : First, we will push for a more active case management by judges ; Secondly, we will advocate for an improved case scheduling system. Third, is more effective communication between the Bar and the Bench. Fourthly, we will work closely with the judiciary to put in place an electronic filing and service of processes system. Lastly, we will work with the various Attorneys-General, the Judiciary and the Branches to provide or improve on the facilities for the convenience of judges and lawyers while in the courthouse.
• Defending the integrity and independence of the Judiciary : My administration shall diligently and consistently work to restore the dignity of the Barand the Bench.
• Promotion and protection of the Rule of Law and Human Rights: The NBA under my administration will operate a zero tolerance for disobedience of lawful orders of courts and will not hesitate to take all legal steps available to it to protect, defend and maintain the rule of law in Nigeria.
• Appointment, remuneration and training of judges :One issue which the NBA under my administration will take particular interest in is the issue of appointment of judges. Relatedly, the NBA will also advocate for better remuneration and working conditions for the Judges. On training, we will work closely with the National Judicial Institute to continuously train the Judges.
• Law Reform Initiatives: Under my administration, the NBA Law Reform Committee will be adequately resourced to play its role as a liaison between the NBA and the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly; to represent the Bar at National & State Assembly public hearings, etc.
• Public Interest Litigation and Advocacy : The NBA under my administration will regain its position as the conscience of the Nigerian society.
• Criminal Justice Reform Projects : NBA shall partner with stakeholders to undertake a holistic reform agenda of the Criminal Justice System in Nigeria.    

3.THE BAR AS AN INSTITUTION

Reforming the Institutional and Governance Processes of the NBA

• Streamlining the NBA Administrative Structure : The goal is to build a properly administered institution where processes are seamless, interface with members pleasant and continuity of polices is possible.
• Institutional and Regulatory Reforms in NBA
• Synergy with NBA Branches
• Strengthening and Supporting the NBA Sections and Fora
• Professional Ethics and Discipline : The NBA under my administration will champion a stronger and more responsive LPDC to ensure that we regain our lost reputation.
• Instituting a Whistleblowing System
• The NBA Annual General Conferences : In the years 2021 and 2022, the NBA under my administration will organise the biggest and best AGC in the history of the Association without requiring the members to break the bank to be able to attend.

4.THE FUTURE OF THE BAR 

• Setting the Stage for the attainment of a globalised legal practice
• The deployment of technology in law practice in Nigeria
• Enlightenment on New and Emerging Practice Areas
• Review of the RP C 2007and the LPA
• International Collaborations and Relationship