NBA Elections 2022: “Some Of These Petitions Are Self-Serving And Not Well Intentioned…Allow Lawyers To Vote Their Choices”- J. S. Okutepa, SAN
As a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) I have always advocated that NBA and those who aspire to serve the Association in any capacity and those of us who are members of the Association should abide by and be bound by the provisions of NBA constitution and the rules made thereunder.
The reason is simple. The NBA is an association of lawyers. Lawyers in any society are the lights of the society.
But over the years and during NBA elections some members try hard to out-maneuver themselves in one way or the other. In most cases you see one form of petition or the other against those who want to serve in the offices of NBA, alleging breaches of the NBA constitution.
In most cases supporters of aspirants feast on these partisan petitions and will so sermonize it and demonize the one against whom these petitions are written but fail to appreciate the fact that both NBA, as a professional Association and members of the Association always obey the NBA constitution and its rules in breach.
The foremost motto of the NBA is promoting the rule of law. I have always asked, is the NBA as a professional Association promoting the rule of law or condoning and celebrating those who destroyed the rule of law in Nigeria.
For instance, the NBA constitution prohibits those who are aspiring to serve the Association in any capacity from visiting the branches of the Association and making donations or soliciting for votes. There are also rules that we as members must not aid and abet the violations of these rules.
Can any of us in clear conscience say today that all those who are aspiring to serve NBA have not been moving from branch to branch. Are we the supporters not making undue demands on these aspirants? Are we the supporters not the ones urging these aspirants to be everywhere and asking that they should be hosting lawyers to treats, dinners, lunch and all manner of parties in breach of NBA constitution and rules.
Please let nobody tell me any of these aspirants is breaching the NBA Constitution or he or she is not qualified to run for any of the offices on the basis of the breach or failure to meet certain NBA constitutional requirements.
If we must apply our constitution then let all those running or aspiring to any of the offices of NBA be all disqualified and we strictly follow our constitution. Until then, let nobody bother us with allegations of qualifying or not qualifying.
Let all the aspirants imbibe the principle of democratic culture and allow us the people to vote our choices. But for any of the aspirants to be doing underground petitions to avoid competition is the worst form of electoral rigging. We should look at the personal character of all aspirants and their ethical antecedents and judge them by the moral standards of capacity to serve in any of the offices and vote for them.
Singling out any of them as having transgressed the constitution more than the other when all are breaching the constitution is really an argument too difficult for me to follow.
We are in the court of equity and those who want equity must be above board.
Some of these petitions are self serving and not well intentioned.
J. S. OKUTEPA, SAN
