Headline

Cracks in the Walls of NBA

Published

6 years ago

August 22, 2020

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

In his campaign messages during the runoff to the Nigerian Bar Association elections, the President-elect, Olumide Akpata, never stopped laying emphasis about his desire to create an ‘NBA for all’, an association of tolerance, interrelationship and devoid of ethnic and religious colourations.

However, with days to the official change of leadership baton and swearing in ceremony of the President-elect, most, if not all things are about to fall apart in the highly revered association of very learned professionals.

What appears like a fragile peace in the administration of the outgoing president, Mr Paul Usoro, is shaky today with the division that has been created with the official withdrawal of the invitation extended to Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as a speaker at the forthcoming conference of the association.

The lawyers have accused the governor on allegations bordering on killings in southern Kaduna, violation of human rights, disobedience to court orders and others.

Some of these lawyers include former chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman, NBA, Ikeja branch and leader of Radical Agenda Movement in the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA), Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, Open Bar Initiative (OBl) led by Mr. Silas Joseph Onu, and Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga.

The leadership of the NBA withdrew the invitation extended to the governor to participate in the association’s annual general meeting in a resolution at it’s national executive council meeting on Wednesday, saying the decision would be communicated to the governor.

Using it’s official Twitter handle @NigBarAssoc, and confirmed by the Kunle Edun, the publicity secretary, the NBA noted as follows:

“The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Meeting Conference Planning Committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the Governor.”

The Kaduna governor was originally among the guest speakers slated to participate in a session titled ‘Who is a Nigerian?… A Debate on National Identity.’ El-Rufai was scheduled to participate at the session alongside the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; former governor of Anambra State and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party at the 2019 election, Peter Obi; cleric and chairman, African Advisory Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Tinder Bakare; activist and former federal minister, Oby Ezekwesili; and immediate past ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, Salamatu Suleiman.

Those billed to speak at the conference include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria; Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president; Ike Ekweremadu, former deputy senate president; and Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The 60th NBA annual general conference, its first-ever virtual event, is themed ‘Step Forward.’

However, the inclusion of El-Rufai among the guest speakers at the annual fiesta, had not gone down well with most lawyers, who expressed their disapproval in a petition. The petition, in turn, had woken other lawyers to reality, and they toe the line, threatening withdrawal if El-Rufai is allowed to speak at the conference.

A Port Harcourt based lawyer, Godwin Odimabo, noted thus concerning El-Rufai’s participation:

“If the association has value for her motto, respect for rule of law, democratic norms and values, it won’t take more than 24 hours to humbly write to Kaduna State governor, El-Rufai, informing him of his substitution as a guest speaker at the AGC.

“If he paid to speak, we should refund him his money. If we paid him to speak, we should bear it as the inconvenience caused him by our withdrawal.”

Consequently, the National Executive Council, the highest decision making body of the association of learned professionals, took a decision to nib in the bud the governor’s participation in the conference scheduled to hold from August 26-29.

But the disqualification of the governor has not been taken lying down by the both Northern and Muslim lawyers who felt it was a slight on one of their own. They have therefore decided to go against the decision of the NBA NEC and threaten withdrawal from the conference if El-Rufai is not restored as one of the speakers.

Shortly after NBA made its decision public, the Muslim Rights Council (MURIC) called on all Muslim lawyers to boycott the conference, saying that the NBA has crossed its line by withdrawing El-Rufai’s participation.

In a statement on by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC described NBA’s action as parochial, myopic and jejune.

“MURIC calls on all lawyers from the North to boycott NBA’s AGC in protest against this open declaration of war on Northern Kaduna. Every little action of injustice must spark a reaction if tyranny is to be stopped in the world,” Akintola said.

“NBA has crossed the red line in human relations and conflict management. No single lawyer from the North should participate in the AGC either as a resource person or as a participant unless NBA rescinds its decision to drop El-Rufai from the list of speakers. Injury to one is injury to all.

Akintola said by dropping El-Rufai, NBA has declared war on the other side in the Southern Kaduna crisis and has lost a golden chance to be part of the solution to the conflict, adding that the association has further been elected to be part of the problem.

He said, “The fact that NBA took the ill-advised step on account of a petition written by a group, Open Bar Initiative whose main fear is expressed as ‘One can be sure that he will also use the given platform to advance his conflated narrative, designed to deceive and confuse the nation on the real causes of the killings’ exposes NBA’s impatience, intolerance and self-conceit.

“Is it not better to hear him out than to lock him out? Is it not better to jaw-jaw than to war-war? The departure of the ambassador, they say, is the beginning of war.

“Was it not Jane Goodall who said, ‘Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right’? Change cannot come through rejection and exclusion.

“How justifiable is NBA’s decision to exclude Governor El-Rufai from the virtual conference when people like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of Odi and Zaki Biam fame and Governor Nyesom Wike are among the speakers? Who bulldozed the hotels of innocent people despite court orders? Who visited unspeakable violence on political opponents? Should NBA hobnob with people linked to genocide and undemocratic practices? So why demonise El-Rufai where killers of innocent people and enemies of democracy are idolised?”

However, while MURIC’s outburst has drawn condemnation from a session of Nigerians including northerners and Muslims, who said he did not speak for them, it has also aroused ethnic and religious sentiment among northern lawyers.

So far, as at the time of going to press, two state associations; Jigawa and Bauchi states have written strongly worded letters to the NBA to restore the Kaduna governor as a speaker or they won’t participate in the conference.

In a statement on Friday by Chairman of NBA Dutse, Garba Abubakar, the group described as “frivolous” the allegations levelled against Governor el-Rufai, accusing the NBA of not giving him the opportunity to defend himself.

“A section of the country cannot therefore take us for a ride as we all have a fair understanding of the law.

“On the strength of this therefore, we call on the national body under President Paul Usoro (SAN) to reverse the decision with immediate effect else the Nigerian Bar Association Dutse branch will boycott the Virtual Annual General Conference taking place in a few days to come,” the group said.

But the NBA Assistant National Publicity Secretary, Habeeb Akorede, said that Garba Abubakar, who issued the statement was not the recognised chairman of the branch and he could not be taken serious.

“Besides, Annual General Conference participation has nothing to do with branch but individual lawyers across the country, and it is free,” he said.

Again, another Islamic body, Shiites, have commended the NBA’s leadership for withdrawing its invitation to the governor.

The Shiites’ position was contained in a letter written to NBA and signed by the President of the Movement’s Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa, on Friday.

Speaking to the Boss, however, a member of the Bar, Raymond Nkanka, said he feared that the religious and ethnic colourations given to the decision taken by over a hundred member NEC, representing over 125 branches across the country, might lead to a more devastating consequences for the NBA.

He noted that with the statement from Dutse and Bauchi branches, the stage is set for a replication of the events of 1966 where after a successful coup had been staged, ethnic connotations were employed as inventory of the casualties were taken, and seen not to favour a group.

“What they failed to realize was the decisions were collective irrespective of who the casualty is. Now, it’s happening again, and the casualty happens to be a northerner and issues are again being raised bothering on ethnicity and religion,” he said.

Nkaneme noted that the high profile members that constitute the NBA NEC cannot be wrong having taking into cognizance the Kaduna governor’s utterances and body languages in recent times, with special reference to the interview granted channels TV not long ago.

“Note that the NBA NEC comprises all former presidents of NBA, all former secretary generals, three representatives each from the 125 branches of the association and also 120 members who are co-opt-ed. The NEX of the NBA is a very large body and represents all shades of opinion and interest. And for the fact that this matter was put to vote and only three members voted in favour of El-Rufai says so much,” he said.

Also in defence of the NEC’s decision, Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer, noted that all the three who voted in favour of retaining El-Rufai among the speakers are all from the south while one of them is even a Reverend gentleman, thereby ruling out the issue of ethnic or religious bias.

Attempts made to speak with the president-elect, Akpata was unsuccessful as his phone rang out without being picked. However, his assistant, Barr Orji Uka, when contacted, revealed that he was attending a retreat in readiness for his swearing-in activities.

It would have been a good opportunity for Nigerians to borrow a leaf from the lawyers in calling leaders to order as regards their conduct while carrying out their constitutional duties, but for the cracks noticeable in form of divisions.

Meanwhile, the NBA President, Paul Usoro, has tendered an apology to El-Rufai, noting that the decision of the body was not personal.

The coming days before the actual conference will unfold a few more events to determine the way forward even as the Kaduna governor, in a press release signed by his media aide, has threatened to seek legal redress, saying that the language used in condemning his participation was not palatable.

Time is now to check the cracks in the walls before they turn to holes.

Headline

The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From the first day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new shape in July, 2025, in readiness to wrest power from the government of the day, crises, allegedly engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC), have remained its lot.

From the struggle for leadership positions to the fight to save itself from deregistration, the hitherto coalition and main opposition party, has remained in a battle for its life and existence. And has not relented in the search for lasting justice. This time, it has taken the law itself to court to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done.

It would be recalled that shortly after the the party ratified the election of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, skirmishes were noticed among the rank and file of the party as a supposedly former deputy national chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claimed chairmanship of party, saying that since the founding chairman had resigned, it is constitutionally incumbent upon him to automatically assume the chairmanship role.

Gombe’s claims came on the heels of his ‘resignation’ from office, which paved the way for a new national executive of the party to be constituted. But his claims did not deter the party from carrying on with the formation and running of the party, including holding a keenly contested presidential primary election, which produced His Excellency, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. So Gombe went to court. Yet, Mark and Aregbesola carried on the running of the party.

As a result, Gombe had approached a court for an order restraining Mark leadership from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.

He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.

But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.

Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.

The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Dissatisfied, Mark had approached the appellate court but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court.

With the to and from nature of the cases involving the ADC leadership crisis, the party has accused judges of bias in favoring party detractors and disobedience to court rules among other malice, the party has taken a new route to obtain the much eluded justice, and that involves charging the custodians of the law to court.

Consequently, the ADC has filed a lawsuit before a High Court in Abuja involving the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over concerns arising from the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Also joined in the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), which the party said had not addressed issues it raised regarding the handling of a case challenging the leadership of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, within the ADC.

The lawsuit, dated June 4, 2026, was filed by the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to be joined in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership of the party.

According to the suit, Ukandu expressed concerns about the handling of the matter and alleged that the actions of both Justice Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu, the judge assigned to hear the case, could affect confidence in the proceedings.

The lawsuit further stated that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu stirred concerns among some members of the party, who believe the process may not guarantee a fair hearing.

The legal action marks a fresh twist in the leadership dispute within the ADC, which has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aside Justice John Tsoho, other defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), and Justice Peter Lifu, a judge newly assigned to hear the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of ADC.

The plaintiff, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership, accused the chief judge and Lifu of manifest bias, and willingness to do the biddings of persons against the interest of the party.

Ukandu, in the suit he personally filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, faulted the chief judge for reassigning the suit to Lifu, in alleged disregard of the orders of the Supreme Court as well as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, who initially heard the suit brought by Gombe against the party.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1165/2026, recalled that an appeal from an interlocutory decision of Nwite rose to the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court on April 30, 2026, “made an order of remittance of Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Nafiu Bala Gombe VS. ADC & 4 ORS back to Justice Emeka Nwite for continuation of hearing of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.”

He stated that upon resumption of hearing before Nwite, the plaintiff wrote to the chief judge praying for a reassignment of the matter to another judge of the Honourable Court.

Ukandu stated, “All the defendants’ counsel, including counsel to the applicants seeking to be joined in this matter, opposed the said application by the plaintiff’s counsel and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter sine die pending the service of the said letter by the plaintiff’s on all the parties in the matter, outcome of the letter by the 2nd defendant and the furnishing of the CTC of the judgement of the Supreme Court to the court.

“Without complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, the 2nd Defendant in abuse of his judicial powers reassigned this matter,” to Lifu.

He added that the third defendant, on his part, pretending not to see the order of Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for June 3, 2026.

Ukandu further recalled that ADC had on May 7 informed the public through a press release that the chief judge had planned to reassign the case to another judge favourable to the plaintiff.

He said the party had “warned against such unethical practice but the 2nd Defendant despite the public outcry reassigned the suit to the 3rd Defendant who have been nick-named as ‘Wike Judges’.”

He stated that the third defendant had started presiding over the matter, despite taking judicial notice of the orders of the Supreme Court and Nwite, and that the matter came up for hearing before the third defendant.

Though neither the Federal High Court nor the National Judicial Council had publicly responded to the issues raised so far, it is imperative to to state that the ADC appears to have lost interest in both the judiciary, which it believe is kowtowing to the dictates of Gombe, and by extension the body language of the Federal Government.

The ADC appears to have managed to draw the sympathy of the public as a group known as the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has lent their voice to the supposed injustice leveled against the Mark-led ADC, raising concerns about the handling of the matter, and calling for transparency in the judicial process.

The group alleged that the judiciary was being used to target opposition parties.

The group expressed concern over what it described as growing public distrust in the judiciary and called on relevant authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of politically sensitive cases.

While Nigerians await the outcome of the litigation, and other resolution of other sundry issues arising from the ADC and the judiciary, the party is going ahead making last minute transparent efforts to nominate a suitable running mate to bear the presidential flag with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the party’s shortlists are the first runner-up in the presidential primary, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Nwajiuba and Chief Dele Momodu.

Headline

Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

7 days ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.

Headline

Adeboye Proposes 90 Days Ultimatum for Security Chiefs to Eradicate Terrorism or Resign

Published

1 week ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called on the Federal government to issue a 90-day ultimatum to security chiefs to end terrorism in Nigeria or step aside.

Adeboye made the appeal in a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, expressing deep concern over the country’s deteriorating security situation.

He emphasized the need for urgent and decisive action, stressing that security chiefs must be held accountable for tangible results in the fight against terrorism.

According to him, while citizens can only advise the Commander-in-Chief, it is within the government’s power to set clear expectations and timelines for security leaders.

“If I were to make a suggestion, I would say the government should act swiftly and direct the service chiefs to eradicate terrorists within 90 days or resign,” he said.

The cleric also urged authorities to go beyond targeting terrorists alone, insisting that their sponsors must equally be identified and dealt with, regardless of their social or political influence.

“When issuing directives, it should be made clear that both terrorists and their sponsors must be eliminated, no matter how powerful they are,” he added.

Adeboye recalled that a former Nigerian president had once issued a similar three-month directive to security chiefs to end the Boko Haram insurgency but failed to enforce the order after the deadline expired.

Reflecting on his interaction with the late president, Adeboye noted that although initial efforts were made, the lack of follow-through undermined the directive’s effectiveness.

He maintained that his current recommendation is informed by that experience, urging the government to ensure strict enforcement if such a timeline is adopted.

His comments come amid renewed concerns over persistent terrorist attacks, banditry, and kidnappings across the country, with increasing public pressure on authorities to take stronger action against insecurity.