NBA 2020 DECIDES: Ojukwu, SAN, Odinkalu, Osigwe, Uyo, Udu, Uromi, Isiokpo NBA Branches React, As Controversies Trail ECNBA List Of Accredited Voters

Controversies have surrounded the recently released list of accredited voters by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA).

Meanwhile, these several reactions sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer came barely after the list was released.

In a statement released by Christian Ayemere Esq, the Chairman YLF and PRO Uromi Branch of the NBA, she decried as follows:

“It is very disheartening to note that the Uromi branch has 45 eligible voters but after our verification exercise and from the just released lists of verified voters, only 20 names have enlisted as verified under the Uromi branch, out of which only 9 (nine) persons on the list are our actual members, the other 11 persons have Yoruba names that are neither known to us nor are they our members.

“This is very sad and unacceptable.”

In another development, Simple I. Dioha, Esq., of Isiokpo NBA Branch of River State, he stated that:

“I have gone through the Isiokpo Branch list and discovered that out of the original about 84 names published in all the previous lists, we now have only 48 names published.

“I suspect serious mischief in the exercise because many of those whose names were omitted did their verification in my presence.

“For example one IZEOMA ORLU-AKWU did her verification in my presence. Now she could not find her name in this present list despite her name had appeared in all the previous lists.

“Please urgent attention is needed.” He said.

In addition, while reacting to the list on his Facebook page, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN described the list as a “fraud”.

“Nigerian Bar Association 2020- The Electoral Committee’ final list of accredited voters is a fraud! Names have been included in Branches where such names don’t exist as members. We are ready to vote on a platform of fraud Again!!!” He said.

Similarly, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu on his Twitter handle remarked:

“There is new branch of @NigBarAssoc. It is called #InternationalDiaspora. We take #DiasporaVoting serious. They have a lot of members oh. #Cumansee #NBAAbracadabra…”

In addition, Akpoguma Jennifer Akpevwe, immediate past Vice Chairman) YLF Udu Branch of NBA noted that the list is “unfortunate” despite the due diligence conducted by the Branch.

“It is appalling to discover the discrepancies between numbers of eligible voters in the final list as released by ECNBA and what was released this evening.

“I make bold to state that my branch exercised due delligence to see that all her eligible voters in the final voters list comply with the mandatory verification process as directed by ECNBA.

“It should be noted that out of 138 names released in the final list only 82names are in the current list and 56 names were ommitted.This is disheartening and highly unacceptable and it is a calculated attempt to disenfranchise members of Udu branch from exercising their franchise.”

Furthermore, Udeme Rivers, Esq., Assistant Secretary of NBA Uyo Branch in a statement tagged “THE HANKY-PANKY OF ECNBA 2020”, described his reaction to the list as it pertains to the Branch.

“To my greatest chagrin, my name was not found in the list, and some of my colleagues who also did not find their names have called me to question why their names are omitted when they conspicuously made it to the first and second provisional list earlier published by the ECNBA 2020.

“This unfortunate development raises a very serious requisition as to the competence and credibility of the ECNBA 2020 in conducting a free and fair election in the face of abundant malpractices and omissions observed by some members of our Association.

“Majority of members of Uyo Branch of NBA who were conspicuously listed in the first and second provisional list earlier published, who also ensured they were verified in preparation to participate in the election today, are not found in the third but last provisional list published this afternoon.

“The names of colleagues and members who did not make it to the first or second provisional list, who as at the 31st day of March, 2020, did not pay their BPF and Branch dues, talk more of being verified, are rather miraculously included in the third but last provisional list published this afternoon.

“As the Assistant Secretary of Uyo Branch of NBA who has knowledge of members of the Branch, it is also very shocking that some of the names allotted by the ECNBA to form the list of eligible voters from Uyo Branch are strange and unknown to our secretariat.

“Finally, the names and branches of eligible voters in the first and second provisional list earlier published by the ECNBA were arranged alphabetically for easy readability and identification of members, compared to the third but last provisional list published this afternoon, wherein names are scattered randomly with no orderly compilation, and thousands of other names are just mentioned on the list without alloting them to their various registered Branches for easy identification and confirmation.”

Conversely, TheNigeriaLawyer recalls that the ECNBA had earlier on issued a statement noting that notwithstanding the errors on the list, what would be used to vote is the enrollment numbers of the voters.

Reacting to the ECNBA statement, Mr. Afam Osigwe vide his Twitter handle remarked:

“ECNBA, if a lawyer’s Enrolment number is his/her unique identifier for voting in the NBA election., is there no possibility that a person who has access to lawyers’ enrollment numbers will be able to manipulate the system and vote multiple times!”