*Calls for arrest, prosecution of electoral offenders
//ONYEKA-AJUMOBI ONOCHIE//SHARE THIS
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded live broadcast of the election petition proceedings, particularly the presidential election, by volunteering media houses, with a view to boosting the confidence of the public in the judiciary, which was currently at an all-time low ebb.
This, the association said, will go a long way giving citizens the opportunity to follow the proceedings, have better knowledge of the facts and an understanding of the reasoning behind decisions of the courts in those matters, especially how the Electoral Act and other applicable laws are applied to election petition matters.
The association made the demand in a communique by its National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb-Lawal, at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) quarterly meeting held in Kebbi on March 23.
The NBA, additionally, demanded the arrest and prosecution of electoral offenders identified during the just- concluded general elections.
The association condemned what it described as tribal and ethnic bigotry, violence and intimidation of voters recorded during the elections, particularly in Lagos State, and called for the immediate prosecution of identified electoral offenders.
Going further, the association said that NBA-NEC had resolved in favour of a decision to sponsor a preferred nominee of the bar to represent the association as the Vice Chairman in view of the expiration of the tenure of the current Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and the fact that the Vice Chairman of the body shall be nominated from the bar.
Consequently, Funke Adekoya, SAN, was unanimously nominated and adopted as the nominee of the NBA for the position of Vice Chairman of the Body of Benchers.
“But if Adekoya declined the nomination, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, would step in as the alternate nominee of the NBA,” it informed.
The NBA-NEC also considered the budget of the Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC) and approved same alongside the proposed 2023 Annual General Conference Fees.
This, it noted, would see senior citizens – lawyers of 70 years and above, attend the conference for the first time, free of charge, and lawyers of one-to-five-years call enjoy an early-bird fee of N15,000.
The NBA said that the NBA-NEC, as part of efforts to stem quackery within the profession, also adopted and approved the NBA General Secretary’s proposal for the introduction of a new NBA Stamp, explaining the imperative for the new stamp to have improved security features and car stickers with QR codes for lawyers.
“The essence of the stickers, which will be produced, owned, and distributed by the NBA, is to tackle the inadequacy of the current sticker that is available on the streets and used by non-lawyers, including commercial motorists,’’ the communiqué further noted./SHARE THIS
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