Mr. Ademola Adesina Ogunlana has said he would appeal his disqualification from contesting for the topmost position in the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) schedule to hold sometime in July, 2020.
Ogunlana made this known in what he calls a prelimnary response to the Notice of Letter of Disqualifying him from contesting for the office of the President of the NBA President.
The notice disqualifying Ogunlana and 18 others was issued recently by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) in its Notice No. 007
Ogunlana had noted that his disqualification which was based on his non submission of Letter of Good Standing (LOGS) cannot stand as he fulfilled his responsibility to be issued with the said letter and as the duty to issue the letter was that of the Chairman of his branch
“May I respectfully inform that I have this day , -13 June 2020, at about 6 10 am, become aware of a mail from the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association ( ECNBA) stating my disqualification from participating in the election for the office of the President of our great Association .”
“The ECNBA gave a singular reason – absence of LETTER OF GOOD STANDING(LOGS) from my Branch Chairman . ECNBA also stated my right to appeal their verdict within 7 days of receipt of their mail . We thank ECNBA”
“May I further state that I shall APPEAL the verdict . Let me assure every one that my dues for 2018, 2019 and 2020 were duly and fully paid as at when due as stipulated in the Constitution of the Association and which automatically thus entitles me to the LOGS.”
“The absence of the LOGS was not due to any fault of mine but to the malicious act of the incumbent but now out going BRANCH CHAIRMAN of the NBA IKEJA BRANCH, Dele Oloke , Esq . Of course , the poisoned antecedents of Oloke as a factional leader of the IKEJA BAR and who eventually lost out to me in the extremely intense intra-Bar leadership struggle of 2016-2017 is well known .”
“Clearly , the issue for determination is- CAN A BRANCH CHAIRMAN DECLINE TO ISSUE A LETTER OF GOOD STANDING TO AN APPLICANT , WHERE APPLICANT TO THE NOTICE OF THE CHAIRMAN, HAS COMPLIED WITH THE PROVISIONS AND STIPULATES OF THE CONSTITUION IN THAT REGARD ?”
“May I use this medium to appeal to all our supporters not to be dismayed but to remain not only calm but cheerful . Always trusting in the Faithfulness and Mercies of God and the consistently triumphant forces of GOOD over EVIL I declare to you today , WE SHALL OVERCOME .”