NBA 2020 Election: ECNBA Publishes Interim List of Eligible Voters; Urges Members to Verify Names

ECNBA STATEMENT NO. 005

NBA NATIONAL ELECTIONS 2020 – PUBLICATION OF INTERIM/PROVISIONAL VOTERS REGISTER

The publication of the INTERIM/PROVISIONAL VOTERS REGISTER hereof of members qualified to vote in the 2020 general elections of the National Executives of the NBA is to afford members of the bar the opportunity to verify their names and details/particulars, such as year of Call, email addresses and phone numbers, which are essential for the e-voting exercise. Members are expected to bring any corrections or omissions to the attention of their Branch Chairmen and ensure that the corrections are forwarded to the Secretary of the ECNBA before the publication of the final Voters Register pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 1.3(d) second schedule of the Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association 2015 (as amended). The ECNBA will also be open to receiving any objections or alerts with respect to names that should not be featured on the list by reason of death, elevation to the Bench, or some other justifiable and verifiable reason. Such complaints should be sent directly by members to the ECNBA Secretary via email.

In the compilation of the Voters Register for the election, the ECNBA is guided by Section 17(2) (a), Article 3(3) of the Nigerian Bar Association Uniform Bye-Law for Branches contained in the third schedule and Paragraph 1.2 (f) of the second schedule to the Constitution of the NBA 2015 (as amended) which provides as reproduced hereunder thus:-

Section 17 (2) (a) of the NBA Constitution:

“Every full member shall pay annually, by the 31^st day of March, his/her Practising fees as may be determined from time to time by the National Executive Committee of the Association”

Article 3(3) of the Nigerian Bar Association Uniform Bye-Law for Branches:

“A financial member is a member who by the 31^st of March of the relevant year has paid all branch dues or subscriptions, levies, including practice fees and other contributions imposed by the branch from time to time”

Paragraph 1.2(f) of the second schedule:

“All members of the Association shall be eligible to vote at the general election for National Executives provided that such members must belong to a branch and must have paid both the Practising Fees and Branch Dues as at when due and are duly registered to vote at that election.”

Having regard to the above provisions the Committee has, in compiling names for publication in this interim/provisional List, taken resource from the following:-

i) List of members who have paid their Bar Practice Fees (BPF) as at March 31^st 2020, as supplied by the National Secretariat of the NBA

ii) List of members who paid their Bar Practice Fees and Branch Dues as at 31^st March 2020 and applied for Stamp and Seal for the year 2020, as supplied by the National Secretariat of the NBA

iii) Lists of members who have paid their Branch Dues as at 31^st March 2020 supplied by Branch Chairmen of the NBA as confirmed by the Bar Practice Fees payment List supplied by the National Secretariat of the NBA.

It is noteworthy that out of One hundred and twenty five (125) Branches of the NBA, the committee received Branch Dues payment list of members from about One hundred and ten (110) Branches, leaving about Fifteen (15) Branches unaccounted for, in spite of several extensions and reminders. Of the 110 Branches which made submissions to the Committee, it was observed that more than 70% of them failed to adhere to the stipulations in Paragraph 8.3 of the Guidelines on the Elections issued by the ECNBA on the 21^st of April, 2020, which states clearly that

Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) shall confirm the names of their members who have paid their annual Bar Dues and Branch levies to the Secretary of the Electoral Committee on or before 2^nd May 2020. The confirmed list shall contain the full names, mobile phone numbers and active email addresses of such Branch members.

A further email to all Branch Chairmen, sent by the Secretary of the ECNBA on the 4^th day of May 2020 extending time for submission of their respective lists of members, reminded Branch Chairmen to submit the Branch Dues list and Statements of account showing evidence of payment of Branch Dues by members as at 31^st March 2020. Time was thereupon extended till the 9^th day of May 2020 for the said purpose.

In a bid to ensure that Branches are given adequate opportunity to comply with the ECNBA request, this committee in its Statement No. 004 dated the 20^th of May 2020, issued a reminder to Branches yet to submit proof of Payment of Branch Dues to so do.

After all the above steps to accommodate members, it is sad to note that as at 6PM on the 29^th day of May 2020, the ECNBA has received the list of members who have paid Branch dues and Proof of Payment thereof, as at 31^st March 2020 from only Thirty six (36) Branches of the NBA, namely;

1. BADAGRY

2. BUKURU

3. CALABAR

4. DEGEMA

5. EKET

6. EKPOMA

7. GBOKO

8. IDEMILI

9. AHOADA

10. IKOT EKPENE

11. ILE-IFE

12. ILORIN

13. ISIOKPO

14. KADUNA

15. KATSINA

16. KEFFI

17. LAFIA

18. LAGOS

19. MAIDUGURI

20. OHAFIA

21. OKEHI

22. SAGBAMA

23. OKITIKPUPA

24. OKRIKA

25. OMOKU

26. ONDO

27. ONUEKE

28. ORLU

29. OTA

30. OTUOCHA

31. UKWA

32. SAKI

33. IKORODU

34. UMUAHIA

35. WUKARI

36. ZARIA

However, in spite of the fact that the Committee subsequently requested for the list of members to be sent via excel or Word format, six (6) out of the thirty six (36) branches listed above, namely; 1). BUKURU 2). OHAFIA 3). OKENE 4). ORLU 5). UKWA 6). WUKARI sent scanned copies of their list of members which could not be utilized in the course of compiling the interim/provisional list of voters.

Some other Branches either submitted Lists without proof of payment of branch dues or sent payment receipts and/or tellers without lists of members or without contact details. Other Branches even sent lists that were either inaccessible online or unreadable in presentation. These have all impacted on the provisional list compiled.

The ECNBA will publish only the names of members who are in full compliance with the provisions of the NBA Constitution as those eligible and qualified to vote at the 2020 general elections of the National Executives of the NBA.

Members are hereby advised and required to confirm their names and details on the Published Interim/Provisional Voters List and send in their corrections to their Branch Chairmen and ensure that the corrections are forwarded to the Secretary of the ECNBA not later than the 6^th day of June 2020 for compilation in the Final Voters Register.

TAKE NOTICE THAT any Branch which does not supply the required corrections within the time stipulated herein would not be accommodated after the publication of the Final Voters Register. All submissions from Branches must be in EXCEL format indicating the full name (Surname first), year of Call, phone number, email address, the complaint of the individual and the required correction, provided that complaints of omission of names must be accompanied by proof of payment of Bar Practice Fees and Branch Dues. See a sample in the box hereunder.

Members are further advised to immediately commence verification of their details including phone numbers, emails and enrolment numbers, on the NBA members’ database on the website (if they are yet to do so).

Download the provisional list below

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