NBA President Claps Back At Anze-Bishop, ‘I Won’t Approve NBA Funds Lightly, But I Never Spoke Of Death!’
In a fiery response to allegations made by the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) National Treasurer Caroline Anze-Bishop, the NBA President Y. C. Maikyau, OON, SAN has vehemently denied the claim that he vowed “over his dead body” to withhold funds for the Treasurer’s attendance at the upcoming Annual General Conference (AGC) in Lagos.
When questioned by The Metro Lawyer’s (TML) Teyojesam Eko at a recent event, Maikyau dismissed the statement as “evil” and far from his character..
“I read the report where I was quoted to have said ‘over my dead body.’ Anyone who knows me knows I don’t speak like that. I don’t have to die for something to happen or not happen. That’s an evil statement. I don’t have evil in me, I’m a child of God. I carry the nature of God in me and I will never speak like that,” Maikyau declared, adding that he was firm in his decision not to approve the funds, but insisted he never uttered such words.
The controversy erupted when Bishop alleged that Maikyau had refused to approve her travel expenses for the AGC, supposedly due to her legal actions against the NBA Trustees over her disqualification from the last NBA elections. She further accused Maikyau of sidelining her in financial decisions, claiming she had been left “in gross darkness” regarding the NBA’s financial status.
Maikyau didn’t shy away from confirming that he had indeed refused to approve the funds requested by Anze-Bishop, but he made it clear that his decision was based on principles, not personal vendettas. He revealed that during a recent EXCO meeting, where two members urged him to pay the Treasurer’s bills, he firmly declined. “Yes, I said I will not pay. I said it while I’m alive, and I stand by it,” he stated.
The NBA President went on to detail the financial demands made by the Treasurer, which included 30 days of accommodation, spanning weekends and public holidays, totalling about ₦1.5 million. Maikyau found this excessive and unreasonable, “Transportation from her residence in Jos to be covered by the NBA, along with hotel accommodations for the entire period, plus a daily allowance of ₦50,000—amounting to ₦1.5 million for 30 days. How many people in this country earn ₦1.5 million just by traveling on someone else’s dime and staying in a hotel? If so, I might need to return after my presidency to run for Treasurer, so I can start making ₦50,000 a day—but of course, I would never do that,” he joked.
He highlighted the Treasurer’s ongoing legal battle against the NBA over her disqualification from the last elections, which she blamed him for. He pointed out that her status as a public servant with the NSCDC disqualified her from contesting certain NBA offices, a constitutional provision she knew of before her candidacy. “I didn’t create the constitution; both of us contested under the same rules. She was aware that certain offices have eligibility restrictions. I didn’t set those rules; they were already in place. She chose to run for Treasurer because that position has no such limitations. Now, she wanted to succeed Adegbite as General Secretary, but the constitution clearly states that the role is reserved for those in private practice. To fit within that provision, she obtained a leave of absence from her job at Civil Defence. But according to the constitution, can you really contest the office based on a leave of absence? That was the basis for her disqualification by the ECNBA. The leave of absence she secured only confirms that she is a public officer, and that’s exactly what led to her disqualification.”
Speaking further on the matter, he said, “An EXCO member suing the NBA, the same Incorporated Trustees she reported me to. She’s challenging the constitution that disqualified her from running! Let me be clear: quote me anywhere, and I’ll stand by it. No member of the NBA EXCO, who was privileged to be elected by the association’s members, should now try to use NBA funds to fight against those very members. I won’t give you the tools to do that, nor will I take any pleasure in enabling it. If that’s the course of action she wants to pursue in court, she’s welcome to do so. I said it then, and I’ll say it again: I will not pay! I will not give anyone the tools to misuse the NBA’s money to fight the NBA itself.”
He revealed that despite the Treasurer’s accusations and campaign of calumny against him since the NBA Annual General Meeting in 2023, he had personally funded some of her trips, when she came requesting for funds. “After last year’s AGM, where she made those remarks about me, she came to my office—while I was with some lawyers—to request NBA funding for her to attend an Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) meeting. I refused, explaining that it wasn’t a core NBA event, and the association shouldn’t cover the cost. It would be like asking the NBA to pay for my attendance at Arewa Lawyers meetings or Adegbite’s bills for Egbe Amofin meetings. However, despite everything that had happened, I paid for her flight ticket to that event out of my own pocket. This was in November last year, just a few months after the AGM. If I harboured any ill feelings or grudges against her, I certainly wouldn’t have given her ₦200,000 for that ticket. She was supposed to fly to the event, but she didn’t go. We later met at the Rule of Law Conference organised by former NBA President J. B. Daudu, SAN, and she explained that she had issues with her flight and couldn’t make it to the EBF meeting. No problem—I had already given her the money, and I never expected it back.”
“At another time, she approached me again, asking for funds to attend a Lawyers with Disabilities meeting in Asaba, followed by the Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN) NEC meeting in Ado Ekiti. She wanted me to delegate her to represent me, which would have meant the NBA covering her expenses. I declined, but still, I gave her no less than ₦250,000 of my own hard-earned money for that trip. I don’t steal—I work for my money, and my colleagues have been working diligently to support me in this office. You can check the records in my private office. Did I tell anyone about all this? No, I didn’t! I just have to reveal all these now to protect my integrity and image, which she has tried so hard to tarnish.”
“I’m committed to protecting the finances of the Nigerian Bar Association. If it’s about the NBA’s money, I will not misuse it. If it’s my personal money, I can give it away, but I won’t let the NBA’s resources be squandered,” Maikyau said.
Maikyau further dismissed the notion that he was using his position to settle scores, emphasising that his actions all through his administration were very transparent and rooted in his responsibility to the NBA. “Some have speculated that I hold a grudge against her because she approached the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and called for accountability. The books of the Nigerian Bar Association are open to any form of investigation; they are not closed, lost or hidden,” he affirmed.
“And if she claimed in her letter that she was not given money to attend the NBA AGC… Isn’t she a lawyer? I personally registered for this conference. Do you have to be an EXCO member to attend the AGC? Are the other attendees only EXCO members? Just because the NBA would cover her expenses, she feels she can’t register on her own? I won’t pay for her expenses, and I won’t buy her a ticket, especially since she’s claimed she has had no work to do.”
Maikyau stated that he, along with other members of the NBA EXCO who were present at the briefing—specifically the 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents (Bala and Ugo), the General Secretary (Adegbite), the Publicity Secretary (Lawal), the Welfare Secretary (Obasi-Ofem) and the Assistant Secretary (Kip) – did not have any problems, to which they all affirmed. He explained that this was why they were PRESSING FORWARD, remaining focused, and achieving an unprecedented breakthrough for any NBA administration, something never before seen on the African continent- the secure NBA Digital Stamp and Seal. He mentioned that they had in the past few days organised a series of activities to celebrate the end of their administration and give thanks for divine mercy throughout their service to the association.
The President called for an end to the ongoing smear campaign by Anze-Bishop and her sympathisers, defending his administration’s integrity and focus. “Enough of this calumny, enough of this wickedness and callousness,” Maikyau concluded, making it clear that he remains undeterred and committed to his duty as the leader of the Bar.
