An informal group of lawyers committed to the rule of law has issued a damning report which confirms that last month’s elections of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), was massively rigged.
SaharaReporters reported on the manipulation of the election by the Goodluck Jonathan administration ahead of the election, and at its conclusion. The government spent over N1 billion to ensure the success of its plan.
In the election, Mr. Okey Wali, a former Commissioner for Justice in Rivers State and the candidate who enjoyed the support of Mr. Jonathan’s administration, defeated the pre-election favourite, Emeka Ngige.
Mr. Ngige argued that the electionwas flawed, citing a variety of electoral malpractices.
In a report authored on its behalf by Ikeazor Akaraiwe, Rule of Law-Nigeria agreed with him, observing that with the quality of the elections the NBA conducts, the association lacks the moral standing to criticize the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Describing the mechanisms for electing the leadership of the NBA as out-dated, scandal-prone and liable to whimsical capture, it said that the allegations arising from the 2012 election have the effect of diminishing the NBA in the public esteem and causing anxietyin the eyes of well-meaning members of the Bar, Bench and Public.
“NBA has under 100, 000 members but cannot organise elections on universal suffrage forthat number,” the group lamented. “We give excuses such as logistics. We are working with a 15th century mentality in the 21st century, where everyone needs to be physically present for accreditation.”
It advocated a four or five-year programme of reform so that by 2016, the NBA would replace “these backward elections” with “digital elections at the Bar,” arguing that this must be made mandatory.
“Now, let us therefore constitute astudy group to put together a report with technical specifications on how we can acquire digital capabilities, with an ambition to give universal suffrage to every lawyer,” the report said.
On accreditation, which is a contentious issue at every NBA election, Rule of Law-Nigeria said the association ought to accredit every lawyer where he or she is. “Why go all the way to Abuja to beaccredited, when these can be easily processed through the branches in a digital form?” the report asked.
It also suggested a Digital Interface Point to manage registration and accreditation for elections.
“To ensure transparency in the management of numbers and allocation of delegates, besides Senior Advocates, nominated NEC members, or co-opted NEC members, Benchers and the elected executives of the Bar whom we know (Some of these are in some cases vested in one person), a digital interface point can be located in the capital of each state, and anyone who can get to the state capital, can be registered and accredited,” it said.


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[Full text of the report]:
A STUDY OF THE ALLEGATIONS ARISING FROM THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION ELECTIONS OF JULY 17, 2012
AND
OBSERVATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS THEREFROM
By
Ikeazor Akaraiwe, Esq.
1st Vice-President NBA (2008-2010)
Chair, NBA Human Rights Institute (NBAHRI: 2008-2010)
Alternate Chair NBA SPIDEL (2010-2012)
CONTENTS
1. Introduction page 3
2. NBA Elections of July 2012 page 5
3. Specific Allegations page 6
4. Reactions By The NBA To The Allegations page 12
5. A Representative Sample Of Reactions From
Other Members Of The NBA page 14
6. Findings page 19
7. Conclusive Findings & Observations page 27 
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
1.1 Pursuant to the Aims and Objects of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as encapsulatedin S.4 of the Constitution of the Association (as amended and adopted at the Delegates Conference held in Lagos 0n 20th August 2009) (hereinafter referred to as “the Constitution”) especially S.4 (a): “Maintenance and Defence of the Integrity and Independence of the Bar and the Judiciary in Nigeria;” and S.4 (f): “Maintenance of the highest standards of professional conduct, etiquette and discipline”;
1.2 Pursuant to the Core Objectives and Directive Principles of the NBA as adopted by NEC at Bauchi in November 2006 as follows:
1.2.1 Conceptual Definition - To be at the vanguard for the promotion and defence of the Rule of Law, Good Governance, Social Justice and the Dignity of all persons;
1.2.2 Vision - To rank among the foremost Bar Associations in the world;
1.2.3 Mission - To use the Law As An Instrument For Social Change;
1.2.4 Motto - Promoting The Rule of Law;
1.2.5 Core Values - Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Professionalism; and
1.2.6 Brand Responsibility - Courageous, Assertive, Independent, Leader.
1.3 We, as concerned members of the Association, guided by the twin considerations of dispassionand integrity have freely elected tomake this study and submit these recommendations pursuant to theimperative of living up to the Core Objectives Principles of the Association aforesaid.
2.0 NBA ELECTIONS OF JULY 2012
2.1 The NBA held its biennial delegates election conference on the 17th day of July 2012 and conducted elections into various national offices at A-Class Park, Abuja. Thereafter, results were announced with the following persons emerging as winners:
Okey Wali SAN - President
Emeka Obegolu – General Secretary
OJ Erhabor – 1st Vice-President
Steve Abar – 2nd Vice-President
Francis Ekwere – 3rd Vice-President
Paul Ebiala – 1st Assistant Secretary
UFO Nnaemeka – 2nd Assistant Secretary
Joyce Oduah – Treasurer
Usman Sule – Legal Adviser
Afam Obi - Publicity Secretary
John-Austin Unachukwu – Asst. Publicity Secretary
Kelvin Ejelonu – Welfare Secretary
There were no candidates for the offices of Financial Secretary and Asst Financial Secretary and thus not filled.
2.2 In the aftermath of allegations and counter-allegations of various electoral malpractices were made. From comments on cyberspace, media and elsewhere, these allegations had the effect of diminishing the Association in the public esteem and causing anxiety in the eyes ofwell-meaning members of the Bar,Bench and Public.
3.0 SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS:
3.1 Emeka Ngige SAN (contestant for the office of President):
According to him:
3.1.1 Serious manipulations and grave anomalies in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) biennial Delegates Conference held in Abuja to elect national officers;
3.1.2 Entire process for the elections were marred by irregularities and gross abuse of the electoral process, all aimed to achieve a desired outcome;
3.1.3 Wrote to the General Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Olumuyiwa Akinboro on 28th June 2012 requesting especially for a copy of the Delegates/VotersList. The letter was duly acknowledged by the Secretariat. The list was never issued to him by the current NBA leadership;
3.1.4 48 hours to the elections, the Delegates List was still shrouded in secrecy. The list was eventually released for public scrutiny barely 24 hours to voting;
3.1.5 The displayed list was riddled with serious anomalies, irregularities and contradictions;
3.1.6 The displayed voters’ register totally contradicts the actual voters’ register used for theelections. A few examples:

a. The National Executive Committee (NEC) list was manipulated to include non-NEC members and even those who areconstitutionally disqualified from being NEC members. For example, Mrs. Ranti Bosede Daudu and Mr. Paul “Tunde” Daudu, wife and sonrespectively of the incumbent NBAPresident, J. B. Daudu (NBA), were smuggled in as ‘NEC members’ without the mandatory approval by NEC as required by the NBA Constitution;
b. Tunde Daudu is less than 10 years at the Bar and is therefore disqualified from becoming a NEC member;
c. Non NEC members were perceived to be persons who signed themselves in as ‘Observers’ consistently in virtuallyall NEC meetings but were listed asNEC members for the purpose of the elections. Minutes of NEC meetings evidencing this were handed over to us. These persons allegedly included:
Barth Okoye-Aniche, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meetings of 25/11/10 no.1), 9/6/11 (no.104), 23/2/12 (no.361);
MB Audie, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 25/11/10 (no. 12)
Marc Enamhe, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meetings of 25/11/10 (no.18), 23/2/12 (no.)
Chidi Ezenwafor, Esq. (signed in asan Observer in NEC meetings of 25/11/10 (no. 46), 28/7/11 (no.1),23/2/12 (no.407)
Waya A, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 25/11/10 (no.99),
IP Igbuan, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meetings of 25/11/10 (no.106), 9/6/11 (no.46), 21/08/11 (no.139)
Ganny Ajape, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 25/11/10 (no.121)
Dr. Mrs. Zuwairatu Mantu (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 25/11/10 (no. 171);
Mrs. Boma Ozobia (signed in as anObserver in NEC meetings of 9/6/11 (no.161), 23/2/12 (no.382);
Mirabel Edozie (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 9/6/11 (no.224);
Monday Adjeh, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 28/7/11 (no.10);
Haruna A Moh’d, Esq. (signed in asan Observer in NEC meeting of 28/7/11 (no.19);
PB Daudu, Esq. (signed in as an Observer in NEC meeting of 21/08/11 (no.141);
Chidi B. Nworka, Esq. (signed in asan Observer in NEC meeting of 23/02/12 (no.394).
d. The total figures of delegates for some branches perceived to be favourable to the adjudged winner of the presidential electionwere reduced in the displayed voters’ register to avoid being queried by other aspirants while the actual voters’ register used forthe elections was padded with additional names to favour the adjudged winner of the presidential race. An example is Port Harcourt Branch which had only 28 members on the displayedlist while additional 15 names were added into the actual voters’register to bring the Port Harcourtlist to 42;
e. Names of deceased persons from Port Harcourt branch were added to the voters’ register. Examples are Chief Nwobidike Nwanodi, SAN and Chief C. A. B. Akparanta, SAN, both deceased;
f. Some members included as NEC members under the “special interest groups” category are constitutionally disqualified from being NEC members by virtue of the mandatory minimum 10-year post-call requirement for membership;
g. For example:
i. Mr. Chidi Ezenwafor (junior counsel in the chambers of General Secretary Akinboro) was called to the Bar on 21st May, 2008 (a mere five years at the Bar);
ii. Mr. Monday Adjeh was called tothe Bar in November 2005.
Their inclusion violates Section 9(a)(v) of the NBA Constitution;
h. Some names were duplicated inthe voters’ register, giving room for impersonation of such candidates – more so, when the pictures of some of the duplicateddelegates were missing from the list.
Instances include names such as
i. Mr. Dele Oye who appeared under Category F/Co-opted NEC Members and Abuja Branch as well as
ii. Mr. Anthony Ani (Attorney-General Enugu State) who appeared under Category F/Co-opted NEC Members and Category E/Benchers;
i. Some branches whose delegateswere perceived to be favourable to his candidacy had their numberof delegates slashed without any explanation and without an opportunity to query such arbitrariness;
j. Some delegates who were perceived to be favourably disposed to Emeka Ngige’s candidacy could not find their names on the voters’ register;

when such names were bereft of accompanying photographs;
l. The displayed voters’ register was not properly numbered, leading to certain tranches of numbers missing from the list. Forexample, numbers 31 to 39, 85 to 90 and 178 to 180 were missing from the displayed voters’ register, giving rise to posers on what might have happened;
m. Apparent from the foregoing that the voters’ register was grossly manipulated to favour the presumed winner of the presidential election and highly unfortunate that the Daudu Administration could not conduct a successful, free and fair election for mere ‘1471’ delegates;
3.2 EB Ukiri, Esq. (Incumbent 1st Vice-President and contestant for the office of President):
3.2.1 PERSONAL EXPERIENCES:
“I have been too dumb founded to speak on the NBA elections. My family and I were attacked on 1st June in Port-Harcourt by a gang ofcriminals who had come specifically for my phone. On Friday, 13th July at 9.21pm a threatening SMS was sent to me warning me to withdraw from the race before it was too late. Less than 9 minutes after my receipt of the SMS, my son was mysteriously attacked in PH. He was hospitalized;
“I managed to travel to Abuja on Sunday, 15th July hoping to formally withdraw in line with thedecision of the Mid-West Bar Forum. You recall that I even told you that I would announce my withdrawal at the manifesto night. 

“On Monday 16th July, I received the shocking news at about 2pm that my younger brother was killed that day. I am being persuaded not to link the attacks and death of my brother to the NBA elections. I hope I would be able to resist the urge............ 

“………..I have now studied the delegate list which I had not seen at the time I made my comment on the elections. No one can deny that some names of delegates from Branches were removed and replaced in Abuja. If delegates had been elected by Branch members on whose authority would any person remove and replaced them? Whatof NEC members? There were persons I had nominated as NEC members and rejected specifically by the President in Gombe NEC who were co-opted as NEC members, days to the election.”
The President-elect, Okey Wali SANdid not respond to the email sent him but in a telephone conversation with the undersigned lamented the huge sums of money distributed by some candidates.
4.0 REACTION BY THE NBA TO THE ALLEGATIONS
No formal reaction from the NBA was received even though exclusive emails were sent out. We requested by telephone without success for a copy of the statement issued the press by General Secretary Muyiwa Akinboro to capture verbatim the position of the NBA. In the absence of this, we relied on the information published by the print media as follows:
4.1 PRESIDENT JB DAUDU, Esq. (SAN)’S REACTION as published in two newspaper interviews; ThisDay Newspaper of August 14, 2012 and The Nation of August 21, 2012:
4.1.1 Described the elections as “the best conducted delegates’ conference ever;” but
4.1.2 Acknowledged the current system of leadership selection in the NBA as an “inexcusable jamboree”; and
4.1.3 That NBA elections ought to be organized in “a more efficient and less time consuming manner;”
4.1.4 Described NBA membership as “a nebulous electorate,” and justified the present delegate system as in the best traditions of “Bar Councils” in other places likethe American Bar Association, Ghana Bar Association, Law Society of England and Wales, East African Law Society;
4.1.5 Suggested that it was best for NBA to be organized in such a way that “it is possible to identify the leadership for ten years to come;”
4.1.6 Described calls for restoration of Universal Suffrage in the NBA as “a demonstration ofthe utter bankruptcy of ideas as to how to run a professional organisation in this day and age;”and that those calls were
4.1.7 Propelled by “hatred for Senior Advocates of Nigeria”
4.2 GENERAL SECRETARY (MUYIWA AKINBORO)’S COMMENTS as published by Punch Newspapers online are hereunder reproduced: http://www.punchng.com/news/no-dead-lawyers-names-in-nba-voters-list/ ‘No dead lawyers names in NBA voters’ list’ July 21, 2012 by Agency Reporter
“The Nigerian Bar Association on Friday denied claims by one of its members, Mr. Emeka Ngige, SAN, that names of dead legal practitioners were used to rig the association’s national election, which held on Tuesday in Abuja.
“Ngige, who lost the presidential election to Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, had claimed that the election was marred by irregularities

However, the NBA on Friday denied Ngige’s claims. The outgoing General-Secretary of the association, Mr. Olumuyiwa Akinboro, who addressed journalists in Abuja, said the allegations were unfounded.
“Instead, Akinboro noted that Ngige must be suffering from “post-election stress, depression or failure of expectation.”
“We’re not doing PDP or ACN election, we are not politicians, this is a professional body which requires that all its members mustabide by the constitution and laid down procedures,” he added.”
5.0 A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF REACTIONS FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE NBA: Other well meaning members of the NBA also issued reactions, mostly online. An attempt has been made to select three as being fairly representative of perspectives from across the nation:
5.1 From The Geopolitical North:
JS Okutepa SAN (NBA Makurdi; NECMember; Vice Chairman, Arewa (Northern) Lawyers Forum) classified the huge sums of money expended by candidates especially for ‘logistics’ and hotel rooms to branches during elections as corruptive of the electoral process and urged any candidate who contested the election and was not involved in fraudulent inducement to come out to say so.
In his exact words:
5.1.1 “I agree that the alleged electoral malpractices be investigated.
5.1.2 “My view is that the investigations should not be limited to failure to display voters register but it must be extended to cases of persons or candidates whether winners or losers who offered gratification in the form of accommodation, monetary inducement and sponsorship of candidates by political parties andpersons in power including those who had their electoral expenses bankrolled by serving senators and other political class.
5.1.3 “I equally suggest that those found culpable should appear before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
5.1.4 “I further suggest that those who are less than honest and who by hook or crook meansgot elected be investigated and punished.
5.1.5 “This investigation will strengthen our democratic principle and respect for the rule of law and due process.
5.1.6 “I honestly believe that the cry for failure to display voters register is a smoke screen to cover up more fundamental irregularities which almost every one that contested the elections was involved.
5.1.7 “Let anyone who contested the election and was not involved in fraudulent inducement come out to say so.
5.1.8 “We must not be deceived by those who lost and are pontificating as angels”.
5.2 From The Geopolitical West:
Femi Falana SAN (NBA Ikeja; Former President, West Africa Bar Association (WABA) and former Chairman NBA Rule of Law Action Group; NEC member):
a. “With the rotation of the NBA presidency along ethnic lines,
b. The pakistanisation of NBA into tribal sects which all exist primarily to adopt candidates for NBA elections; and
c. The Increasing Monetisation of the elections the contest for elective posts has since become a"do or die" affair.”
“The Rule of Law Group must investigate the grave allegations of Chief Emeka Ngige SAN and report anyone who is indicted to the LPDC.
If the allegations are found to be baseless the complainant should be reported to the LPDC as well.
If learned GENTLEMEN of a NOBLE profession cannot conduct credible elections the NBA has no moral integrity to monitor elections conducted by the INEC.”
5.3. From The Geopolitical East:
Dr. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu (NBA Lagos; Chair, National Human Rights Commission; Member, Governing Council NBA Human Rights Institute, former member, Governing Council NBA SPIDEL, NECmember) ( http://premiumtimesng.com/opinion/columns/94010-reforming-the-nigerian-b...
Acknowledges the fact that those who organise Bar elections are volunteers who deserve credit. He however outlined the following key issues:
a. Moral standing of the NBA: NBA lacks the moral standing to criticize INEC with the kinds of elections we conduct;
b. The mechanisms for electing the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are out-dated, scandal-prone and liable to whimsical capture. The question is not whether to change them but how quickly and how deeply. The answer to this is: not soon enough. The pay offs from such reform will be far reaching. They will transform the way we govern our Bar, give the Bar greater legitimacy in monitoring public affairs and ensure better revenues for the NBA. Above all they will herald a more transparent, professional, efficientand fully inclusive Bar;
c. 1998 Reforms Counter-Productive: The reforms were made to cut down costs with regard to delegates.



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4 more info it's a long and inciting petition that we all need to look into.

Go to the courts plz and stop disturbing us...shee they are lawyers?they kw wot to do