ECNBA Initiates Probe Into Caroline Anze-Bishop’s NBA General Secretary Bid Following Petition Alleging NSCDC Employment

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has launched an investigation into the candidacy of Caroline Ladidi Anze-Bishop, the current NBA National Treasurer for the position of NBA General Secretary in the upcoming elections following a petition filed by prominent law firm Falana & Falana’s Chambers, as reported by Citylawyermag.

The petition, authored by Samuel Ogala, Esq., contends that Anze-Bishop does not meet the requirement of being in full-time private legal practice, as stipulated under Section 9(3)(b) of the NBA Constitution for candidates vying for specific leadership positions within the association.

Allegations raised in the petition assert that Anze-Bishop currently holds a position within the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and is stationed at the Plateau State Command. Ogala claims this employment status is widely known among legal practitioners within Plateau State and beyond.

In an attempt to substantiate these claims, Ogala wrote to the Commandant-General of the NSCDC on March 25, 2024, invoking the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, to request specific details about Anze-Bishop’s employment status.

The NSCDC, while acknowledging the request, declined to disclose detailed information, citing exemptions under Section 14(1)(b) of the Act, deeming the information personal and subject to the individual’s consent for disclosure.

Ogala argues that the NSCDC’s response implicitly confirms Anze-Bishop’s employment with the Corps, thereby violating the NBA Constitution’s requirement for candidates to be actively engaged in full-time private legal practice.

In response to the petition, the ECNBA has summoned Anze-Bishop to a meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 2:30 pm at the ECNBA Secretariat to address the allegations and provide necessary clarifications.

The resolution of this petition and the subsequent decision by the ECNBA regarding Anze-Bishop’s candidacy hold significant implications for the forthcoming NBA elections and the adherence to constitutional requirements for leadership positions within the association.