*Says “Akinboro, SAN Collected The Money, Left Maiduguri With It, Kept It For One Week Before Paying Into Account”
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A senior NBA official has responded to allegations by Bayo Akinlade, Esq., former Chairman of the Ikorodu Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, that $2,000 was distributed to Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who attended the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Borno State as “bribe money or vote buying scheme.”
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the money was given by Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, a lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria who represents Borno Central Senatorial District in the Senate under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in his personal capacity to welcome his colleagues and had nothing to do with the government or the NBA.
The official criticised Akinlade’s allegations as politicisation of an innocent gesture.
“Bayo is descending very low, Will it be right for anybody to go and say NBA did that for him to vote for Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN)?
“It’s like you were in somebody’s house, the person showed you love and hospitality, and you’re politicising it. If it is not stupidity and unfairness,” the official stated.
The official dismissed claims that the money came from government sources.
“Which government? Government of Borno gave nobody nothing. We didn’t even have any audience with the governor or his deputy or any other representative. We didn’t pay any courtesy visit on the governor, or any person. We had nothing to do with the governor.
“He’s not a governor. He’s a senator who is a lawyer, a senior advocate. Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan . Nothing from government. He’s no business of any government. He just said let him welcome his brothers, colleagues, and we said okay. He didn’t even meet them all. He passed it on through people. No issue, politics. People are just being irresponsible,” the official explained.
The official pointed out the absurdity of the vote-buying allegation, noting that one of the presidential aspirants, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, a former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also received the money.
“Akinboro, SAN, was given $2,000, on Thursday. He collected it. He left Maiduguri with it on Friday. He did not reject it. He kept it until last Friday when he decided that it’d be a good political weapon so as to make the leadership of NBA look like a corrupt Administration, then your supporter starts writing an article.”
“And he now suddenly woke up and said he paid it into NBA account. Why did he take it in the first place? Why did he have to wait with it for one week?
“So Akinboro was given money to vote against himself. Ask him, was he given money to vote against himself? He will give Akinboro money for Akinboro to vote against himself. He will give to Remi Akungbe. These people play politics with unnecessary things.”
The official defended the NBA’s financial management.
“Money that was given was not from NBA. For the first time, we had a surplus of one billion Naira, after the conference of last year . Just for political reason, to scandalise NBA, just to illegitimize the electoral process.”
The official charged those politicising the issue to allow fair competition.
Meanwhile, TheNigeriaLawyer could not verify the number of SANs who attended the meeting in person and those who collected the money.
Akinlade had 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.
“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 had stated.
The former branch chairman had 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 had also 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 had 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 had 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.
Akinlade had 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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