The leadership of the Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) has been removed by a unanimous vote of the Nigerian Bar Association’s National Executive Council (NBA-NEC).
According to a communique issued at the end of the 2024 1st Quarter meeting of the NBA-NEC held in Jos, the Plateau state capital, all the court cases that the outgoing SPIDEL executives filed are to be withdrawn.
NEC deferred the consideration of the 2023 Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC) chaired by Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), ratified and approved the constitution of the 2024 Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC) chaired by Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya and resolved to reconvene for the consideration of the conference fees and budget subsequently.
The NBA-NEC also ratified and approved the constitution of the NBA Remuneration Implementation Committee Chaired by Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) and deferred the consideration of the proposed guidelines for the implementation of the Legal Practitioners Remuneration (For Business, Legal Service and Representation) Order, 2023.
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It ratified the publication of the Preliminary Notice of Election and Guidelines for the conduct of the 2024 NBA General elections and approved 20th July 2024 as the date for the elections, as proposed by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA).
NEC further approved the constitution of a Caretaker Committee to manage the affairs of the SPIDEL with the additional mandate to investigate the circumstances leading to the filing of actions in court without the approval of NEC.
The Caretaker Committee comprised Sir Steve Adehi (SAN) (Chairman), Yakubu Philemon (SAN) (Member), Ben Oji (Secretary), Ronke Adeyemi (member), and Eva Amadi (member).
The NBA-NEC further proscribed the forum of the body of Vice Chairmen and any other forum or body unknown to the NBA constitution.
Additionally, the NBA-NEC passed a vote of confidence on the NBA executive committee led by the President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN).
Maikyau had accused SPIDEL chairman, John Aikpokpo-Martins of taking unauthorized actions beyond the section’s mandate and consequently ordered officials to halt activities pending a meeting on February 1st.
According to the communique, the NBA expressed its unequivocal commitment to the leadership of the association to strengthen the legal profession and its institutions, ensure professional integrity, promote the rule of law and justice, and advance the course of nation-building.
