By Silver Nwokoro
• Body urges public scrutiny on would-be judges
The Nigerian Bar Association Technical Committee on Conference Planning (NBA-TCCP) has elected new members to oversee the association’s 2022 yearly general conference.
NBA president, Olumide Akpata, in a statement, said the TCCP is tasked with the responsibility of delivering a world-class conference in August 2022.
He stated that the leadership of the TCCP is at liberty to co-opt additional members as the need and circumstances require.
Akpata recalled that the 61st yearly conference of the Bar, which held in PortHarcourt in October 2021, was a remarkable success, despite the challenges that came with its organisation, especially in the light of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic and other setbacks.
His words: “At the 2021 NBA-AGC, not only were our colleagues able to network and socialise in person after a prolonged period of public-health safety induced lockdown, the conference also afforded us an opportunity to deeply consider issues affecting our profession and agree on the urgent steps that need to be taken; make far-reaching amendments to the NBA Constitution; re-launch the NBA Bar Journal, which had been out of print since 2017; launch, for the first time, a Sexual Harassment Policy for the legal profession in Nigeria, etc.”
“As we approach the twilight of the current administration, it is important that we begin early preparations for the next NBA-AGC, during which other serving national officers of the NBA and I will hand over to a newly elected administration.”
The newly elected members for TCCP are Tobenna Erojikwe – (Chairman), Ronke Adeyemi, Mustapha Imam, Olumide Babalola, Inemisit Dike – (Secretary), Blessing Udofia-Poromon, Orji Uka, Ada Obinna Edozie, Rotimi Ogunyemi, Jonathan Agbo, Nta Ekpiken and Omobayode Okelola.
Akpata noted that the exact date, venue, theme and other details pertaining to the conference would be announced in due course.He thanked the new members of TCCP for accepting the call to serve association and pledged to accord them the cooperation needed to deliver on their mandate.
Meanwhile, NBA Publicity Secretary, Dr. Rapulu Nduka in a statement said the association has published the names of the potential appointees as judges of the Federal High Court.
NBA through its judiciary committee on January 7, 2022, called for expression of interest, from suitably qualified legal practitioners from specific states in Nigeria for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.
The call was based on a request for nomination sent to the NBA President by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. NBA therefore urged members of the Bar and the general public to submit petitions and or make comments on the suitability for appointment of any of the listed members.
The comments, Nduka said, must be sent to the NBA secretariat or through the designated email, on or before February 9, 2022.
According to him, the exercise is aimed at fostering the resolve and commitment of the NBA to strengthen the judiciary by enthroning a transparent process, which would ensure that only suitably qualified candidates are appointed to the Bench.
