Bayo Akinlade, Esq., former Chairman of the Ikorodu Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and prominent human rights advocate, has raised questions about alleged payments of $2,000 to Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who attended the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Borno State, describing the optics as looking “more like bribe money or some sort of vote buying scheme.”
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Akinlade made the allegations in a statement titled “The Last NEC Meeting Before NBA Election Season Begins: The Campaigns, The Alliances and The $2000,” questioning the source of the funds and the rationale behind such payments ahead of the NBA elections.
The former branch chairman expressed skepticism about the alleged payments.
“I hear that monies were given to SANs who attended the last NEC in Borno State while most Branch Reps invested more than 1 million Naira of their Branch’s funds (or personal funds) to travel to Maiduguri to attend the money-draining ritual of a quarterly statutory meeting.
“I am however, very skeptical because I have never heard that SANs ever received support to attend NEC before. Perhaps this time is different. The stakes are high, the NEC meeting before Elections are declared in NBA is perhaps the last opportunity for candidates to meet all the ‘powerful’ stakeholders in the same location,” Akinlade stated.
The legal practitioner posed critical questions about the alleged payments.
“$2000 for SANs attending NEC? Where did this money come from? Who decided who should get these funds and why? Who are the SANs who received these funds?
“I figure it’s not a lot of money for most but when put into perspective it really looks more like bribe money or some sort of ‘vote buying’ scheme,” he wrote.
Akinlade questioned the optics of the situation.
“So let’s look at the optics here: SANs get $2000 each for attending NEC. 3 of the contestants for President all attended the said NEC. They all received the $2000 and smiled away?” he asked.
The former branch chairman criticised the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) for its campaign guidelines.
“If one considers how much has been spent by individuals on NBA elections in the past year I find it hypocritical for ECNBA to make statements about spending and penalizing candidates and their supporters for certain activities they may engage in during the electioneering period.
“It’s so convenient for ECNBA to consider every electioneering activity before now as not counting as electioneering… How insane!” Akinlade stated.
Akinlade observed the intense politicking ahead of the elections.
“What is it about this particular NBA election that draws so much desperations? The Regions are buzzing, the contestants are moving around the chess board forming alliances, dribbling the voters and misdirecting narratives,” he noted.
He also referenced that “a former contestant for president is playing the field declaring support and un-declaring support” amid the campaigns.
The legal practitioner lamented the state of services being rendered by the NBA to members.
“And all these is happening while many can’t even get their NBA Stamps timely, they cannot access the NBA portal to pay their BPF and get their stamps and worst of all, they can’t even get jobs and if they get jobs, NBA is busy working out a system to get a percentage out of those jobs.
“Let me confess, I am still trying to grasp the logic of that initiative but I am told it’s for our own good…. How can I argue with that,” he stated.
Akinlade concluded with a charge to NBA members.
“We get the leaders we deserve, but you can choose the leaders you want. Just make sure you know who you choose…. 2 years is a long time to scatter things!” he warned.
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