NBA 2nd VP, Dr. Foluke Dada Condemns NBA Ikorodu’s Conduct Of Election For Position Of VC, Calls Election A Sham

According to her, as the coordinating National Officer for this Branch, she will not support any act of disobedience to the instruction of the President of the NBA. She further added that if the Branch will not respect or refuse to recognize the authority of the National Bar, then they should resign their membership voluntarily, stressing that no newly elected officer will be recognized from this Branch. Her words: “The purported election held by some members of the Ikorodu Branch of the NBA on Friday the 15th of March, 2019 is nothing but a Sham. As the coordinating National Officer for this Branch, I will not support any act of disobedience to the instruction of the President of the NBA. If the Branch will not respect or refuse to recognize the authority of the National Bar, then they should resign their membership voluntarily. No newly elected officer will be recognized from this Branch. There was no need for any rush or disobedience. This is my position and I have so recommended to the National Secretariat. Mr. Bayo Akinlade is not an island unto himself.” TheNigerialawyer (TNL) recalls that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu branch, Lagos State on Friday, declared Mrs. Gloria Cassius as the winner of the bye-election conducted for the position of the vice chairman of the branch. Mr. Cassius was said to have polled 31 votes to beat one Mr. Ezekiel Ugbaide who scored just one vote. Recall that the NBA had earlier asked the branch not to conduct the said election, pending the conclusion of the investigation on the complaint brought before the NBA. The NBA Constitution has expressly made it clear that the NBA President will function as the spokesperson of the Association. Section 15 (7) of the NBA Constitution as amended, which speaks of DISCIPLINE makes it clear that a National Officer may be removed from office for acts of disobedience to the Association, National Executive Committee, the President or any other of its organs or professional misconduct; provided however that such officer may only be removed from office by two-third (2/3) majority of National Executive Committee members present at a meeting of the National Executive Committee where the matter is raised save also that such National Officer shall have been given the right of fair hearing. Being that the Chairman of a branch is not expressly listed as a National officer, one begins to wonder to what extend can the Chairman be penalized for disobeying the directive of the NBA President.]]>