Re: Abimbola Factional Reunification Committee — The Fathers Have Eaten Sour Grapes And The Children’s Teeth Are Set On Edge

When the NBA President announced the formation of the Unified Electoral Committee on the 18th of May, 2020, the legal community could never have anticipated the far-reaching impact that move would have on the protracted Abuja crisis.

We never knew that move would set in motion a string of events that would unveil the real masquerades benefitting from the crisis.

If you haven’t been following, let me do a quick recap from the very beginning

1. Mr. Ezenwa Anumnu was unlawfully disqualified from participating in an election. I say unlawfully because the decision of the Electoral Committee was reviewed and overruled on appeal by the Electoral Monitoring Committee. Ezenwa was disqualified because he wasn’t anointed by the “Elders”.
2. The findings of the Monitoring Committee were presented to the NBA National Executive Committee of June, 2016 in Benin and adopted as a NEC Resolution. The NEC Resolution was ratified by the NBA Annual General Meeting of August 2018. The AGM is the highest decision making body of the NBA.
3. Ezenwa resumed as Chairman but some “Elders” created a faction and tried to influence to the former President, A. B. Mahmoud SAN, to stir up conflict in the Branch as a predicate for the intervention of the National Exco.
4. Mr. Ezenwa approached the court to restrain A.B. Mahmoud from interfering with the leadership of the Branch and the Court in the interest of justice issued an injunction restraining the NBA from taking steps to remove the NBA Abuja Chairman and Secretary.
5. Surprisingly, A.B. Mahmoud was pressured by these “Elders” to disregard the injunction and to set up a caretaker committee led by Princess Chukwuani. Up to this point we didn’t know who these “Elders” were, but they believed they were powerful enough to fight the rule of law and win.
6. Throughout this ordeal, Ezenwa continued to persevere and to deliver welfare benefits to members of the Branch. At the fullness of time, he handed over to Mr. Folarin Aluko. Meanwhile, the unlawful union of the Chukwuani Committee gave birth to Abimbola Kayode’s Executive.
7. Because a leopard can’t change its spots, the same “Elders” schemed out Kayode’s opponent. That case is still in court.
8. The Folarin Aluko led Exco performed wonderfully in spite of the negative operating conditions. Like Frankenstein’s monster, the Abimbola Exco has limped along as a caricature of leadership.
9. Throughout this time the popular lies spun by one faction has been that the Folarin-led group were not in favor of an amicable resolution.
10. The Kayode faction at a meeting where the “Elders” ostensibly adopted Deacon Dele Adesina, a Reconciliation Committee was set up to “reconcile the two groups”. The committee was made up of some “Elders”. Everyone knew this was purely eye service.
11. From the records of the committee and contrary to the narrative, the Folarin-led group agreed to meet with the Committee.

Now that you’re up to speed, it was against this background that the NBA President finally took a position that was seen by all to be fair- a joint election by both sides to be supervised by the National Exco, devoid of the machinations or partisanship of either side.

The responses of the 2 sides was a replication of the facts in King Solomon’s first case where the real mother chose to save her baby while the murderer was willing to kill the child out of jealousy and spite. Folarin chose the path of peace while Kayode has chosen the path of spite, bitterness and jealousy.

No matter how long a lie runs, the truth will catch up in a day. People are now seeing the truth behind the actions of Kayode. Another unintended consequence of the President’s initiative is that the husbands of the murderer are rearing their heads. We are now seeing the true faces behind the crisis. The “Elders” we’ve been hearing about. A recent release by Chief Awomolo SAN, echoes the crude statement issued to the President by Kayode. Now we know why we’re hearing the voice of Jacob even though the hand belongs to Esau.

Younger lawyers should learn from this: don’t lend yourself to what is wrong. If some Elders choose to eat sour grapes, don’t submit your teeth to the process. All lovers of truth should rally round those who promote the course of peace. It is time to put to shame all those who refuse to give peace a chance.

The ball now rests in the court of President Paul Usoro SAN. Will he bow to the few or choose the path of justice?

The wisdom of Solomon requires that to save the baby, the joint election must be conducted on the terms set out previously.
Any other decision would be unacceptable.

Henry Okolo is a legal practitioner and a member of the NBA Abuja