NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN, Constitutes Constitutional And Review Committee, Appoints Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, As Chair

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Paul Usoro, SAN, has constituted the Constitutional and Electoral Review Committee.

This was made known in a press release dated the 1st day of June, 2019, and signed by the President.

According to the statement, the constitution of the committee is in line with the mandate given to him by the National Executive Council of the bar.

Below read the press statement

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ELECTORAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

1. Pursuant to the mandate that was given to me by the NBA NEC at its meeting that was held on 06 December 2018, I have constituted a Constitutional and Electoral Review Committee comprising the following eminent members of our Association

I. Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN – Chairman
II. Solomon Umoh, SAN – Alternate Chairman
III. Titi Akinlawon, SAN
IV. Seye Opasanya, SAN
V. Ibrahim Aliyu Nassarawa
VI. Henry Chidi Onyuike
VII. Ekpenyong Ntekim
VIII. Yusuf Asamah Kadiri
IX. David Karshima
X. Nkoyo Amah
XI. Aji Bubakari Kamale
XII. Dele Oloke
XIII. Sule Shuaibu
XIV. Adamu Aliyu Umar

2. One of the cornerstone legacies that my administration hopes to bequeath to succeeding NBA administrations would be corporate governance principles exemplified by the transparency, prudence and accountability with which we manage the finances of the Association. The practice of preparing and publishing the NBA’s Quarterly Financial Statement (“FS”) has come to stay and has been applauded by most well-meaning members of our Association.

3. Unknown to most, the NBA Constitution does not mandate that practice. My administration has institutionalized the practice merely because we know and believe it to be good practice, particularly in a circumstance that we are managing the Association’s funds in trust for the members. However, given the lacunae in our Constitution, there is the distinct if not imminent possibility and likelihood of that practice departing the NBA House with the effluxion of my administration’s tenure – except of course the Constitution is amended to institutionalize, with prescribed sanctions in the event of default, the preparation of the Quarterly FS by the elected executive, presentation of the FS to NEC at its quarterly meetings and publication of same to all members.

4. I have used the preparation and publication of the NBA’s Quarterly FS to illustratively make the point for the review of our Constitution in a manner that, amongst others, would entrench the principles of corporate governance in the administration of our Association’s affairs. That of course informed my selection of a renowned corporate governance teacher, Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN to chair the review Committee. As I have done in other instances, I have included some Branch Chairmen as members of the Committee in the expectation that they will carry the torch and flag of the Committee to the Branches and assist the Committee and all of us in achieving our collective goals and aspirations.
5. We would continually update members with the workings of the review Committee in the weeks and months ahead.

Paul Usoro, SAN President