NBA Abeokuta Electoral Committee Clears Abolade For Chairmanship Position, Despite Not Paying Full Branch Dues

Chaos seems to be brewing in NBA Abeokuta over its forthcoming election as it is not unknown that NBA Abeokuta Branch Election which ought to have taken place since last year June has suffered series of postponements due to all kinds of intrigues, including an objection recently raised against one of the chairmanship aspirant, Kamil Abolade.

The branch has scheduled its election for June 30, 2021.

A source told TheNigeriaLawyer that Mr. Akintola an aspirant for the office of Chairman earlier raised an objection to the eligibility of Mr. Abolade to contest against him based on the fact that he failed to pay his 2019 Local dues as and when due by paying the sum of N20,000 instead of the N25,000 that he was supposed to pay as a lawyer of 25 yrs post-call.

Section 15 (4) of the Uniformed Bye-Law provides that:

“To be eligible to stand for election into an office, a member must:

Be a financial member of the Branch and shall have paid his/her bar practicing fees and annual branch dues as and when due for at least the three (3) years preceding the election”

Section 4 (1) (c) of the NBA Constitution also provides as follows:

“A failure or neglect to pay the Annual Practicing Fees and Branch Dues, as and when due, shall be deemed to be an act of professional misconduct.”

According to the source, Mr. Kamil Abolade did not deny the fact that he paid less than he ought to have paid but his defence is that the Branch has waived the balance of N5,000 since they have never asked him for it and that Mr. Akintola is only a busy body since the balance in question belongs to the Branch and not Mr. Akintola.

The source also information TheNigerialawyer(TNL), that the Electoral Committee eventually ruled in favour of Abolade

“The Electoral Committee chaired by Prince Peter Adesemowo a very senior lawyer of close to 50yrs post call have curiously agreed with Mr. Abolade’s submission (contrary to the extant provisions of the NBA Uniform Bye-Law for Branches which clearly disqualified Mr. Abolade) and went ahead to dismiss Mr. Akintola’s objection and cleared Mr. Abolade to contest the election.

“The Electoral Committee is now being accused of playing double standards by members of the Abeokuta Bar especially having hitherto disqualified many aspirants for paying their dues later than March 31st even when they made full payment.

“They argue that if the Electoral Committee claiming to follow the constitution strictly can disqualify members who fully paid their dues but merely paid late, then there is no justification for sparing someone who has evidently defrauded the Branch by paying less than he should have paid.

“They also wonder that at what meeting of the branch did the branch members choose to ‘waive’ the balance of N5,000 owed by Mr. Abolade to warrant the conclusion by the Electoral Committee that the same was waived.

“It is also rumoured that Mr. Abolade is the Electoral Committee Chairman’s candidate. This may explain their decision to rule in his favour contrary to law.” he said

Furthermore, the source said some members have also vowed that if Mr. Abolade’s clearance is allowed to stand, they will all start paying whatever they feel like paying as branch due and then wait to see that Committee that will disqualify them when they choose to contest at future elections.

According to him, Mr. Akintola has reportedly written a petition to the NBA National Office to complain about the Electoral Committee’s decision and that the issue is expected to be discussed at the NBA NEC meeting holding in Abuja later in the week.

As at the time of filing this report efforts to reach both parties were unsuccessful.