Arewa Lawyers Forum writes NBA over Gadzama’s adoption

By -

(Nigeria) The Arewa Lawyers Forum, ALF, has explained the circumstances in which Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, presidential candidate Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN, was adopted.
In letter to NBA president, Mr Augustine Alegeh, SAN, which was copied
the regional fora, ALF denied  a letter purportedly written by its Secretary, Sani Garun-Gabas, dissociating the forum from adopting Gadzama.
The forum, in the June 27 letter copied the Coordinator, Southwest Bar Forum, the Eastern Bar Forum said the letter purportedly written by Garun-Gabas on June 14 was on a letter headed paper that did not have the names of ALF’s exco members.
According to ALF Vice Chairman Garba Pwul, SAN and Assistant Secretary, T. T. Hyundu, in the build-up to the adoption of a sole candidate for the elections, the forum constituted a committee to choose between the two contending aspirants and set up the parameters for such a choice, with the consent of both aspirants and the general house in Bauchi State on October 30, 2015.
It said the committee sat and reviewed the candidature of both Chief Gadzama and Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, after which it adopted Gadzamaas its sole candidate.
Mahmoud protested and it was agreed at a general meeting held on the January 30 in Kadunaa that a seven-man committee would be constituted to review the decision.
Each aspirant was to name three representatives who must be ALF members.
Gadzama nominated K. T. Turaki, SAN, Dr. Tahir Mamman, SAN and ChiefAudu Nunghe; Mahmoud nominated Joseph Daudu, SAN, Mallam YusufAlli, SAN and Dr. Garba Tetengi, SAN.
However, Daudu and Alli were disqualified for not being ALF members, and Mahmoud was asked to replace them within seven days from the February 11, but he allegedly did not.
“Regrettably, he has failed, refused and/or neglected to do so for over four months with a view to deliberately frustrating the process," ALF said.
The forum's Executive Committee, at a meeting on June 9,  in Abuja,decided to exercise its residual power.
“Members of exco,  therefore, voted on both aspirants and the scores were as follows: Chief Gadzama, eight votes; A. B. Mahmoud, two votes and one abstention.
“It is instructive to state that the Vice Chairman, who convened the meeting on the instruction of the Chairman did not vote.  Please note that those who attended the meeting can be reached via their telephone numbers contained therein for confirmation.
“It is, therefore, highly mischievous, dishonourable and an attempt to distort the truth for the Secretary of the ALF who actively participated at the said meeting and undertook prior to voting to be bound by its outcome to turn around and deny the truth, and purport to disown the decision of the majority.
“We have painstakingly chronicled the steps leading to the formal adoption of Chief Gadzama, by the ALF as its sole presidential candidate in order to put to rest any doubt that those who lost out in the screening process are trying to foist on undiscerning members of the NBA and the general public.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we restate the fact that Chief Gadzama, is and still remains the sole adopted candidate of the ALF for the presidency of the NBA, 2016.
“We, therefore, urge you and your esteemed members to discountenance any correspondence or press statements by the minority in this regard, an unregistered group of lawyers called Committee of Chairmen, Secretaries and Leaders of Northern Branches or any other group for that matter.”
ALF said its chairman, Alh. M. A. Abubakar could be contacted for any necessary clarification.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

UBTH @50: Obaseki hails institution’s role in strengthening Edo healthcare

By -
Image
(Nigeria) Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has commended the staff and management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, for their unwavering commitment, dedication, and hard work in providing high-quality healthcare services to the people of Edo State and Nigeria in the past fifty years. Obaseki, at a dinner organized in honour of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Nigeria, at the Government House, Benin City, reassured the government’s continuous partnership and collaboration with the federal government-owned health institution to strengthen the health system and ensure quality health delivery to Edo people. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shaibu, reeled out the gains of the government’s reforms in the health sector, commending the medical centre for bolstering the government’s efforts at transforming Edo State into a health hub. He said, "We came into a wilderness where you have to cut a part for yourself and fix it. We held
Read more

NBC has no powers to impose fine on broadcast stations --Court

By -
Image
(Nigeria) The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has been restrained by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, from imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country. Trial judge in the matter, Justice James Omotosho also set aside the N500,000 fines imposed on March 1, 2019, on each of 45 broadcast stations. The court made the orders in its judgment a suit by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda, MRA, which had sued the NBC. Justice Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations. The court further held that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law. He said the court would not sit idle and watch a body imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law. He said that the commission did not comply with the law when it sat as a complainant and at
Read more