The timely intervention of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Y.C Maikyau, SAN successfully quelled the brewing electoral crisis in the NBA Nsukka Branch.
In a letter dated July 1, 2023, captioned Notice of Appointment of Caretaker Committee For Nsukka Branch, the NBA President swiftly appointed a three-member Caretaker Committee for the branch comprising the following; F. J. Nwodo, Mrs C. N. Onah and Chief M. A. O. Iyamanbhor with the mandate to administer the affairs of the Branch and hold its Annual General Meeting, at which, the election of a new executive committee for the Branch shall be conducted within 21 days from the date of the notice.
According to our source, the crisis began when the two candidates vying for the number one office of the branch Linus Sunday Okoro and Mr. Anthony Ejili embarked on writing petition and counter petition against each other.
It was gathered that during the Branch’s Annual General Meeting held on Friday, 30th June, 2023 which should ordinarily double as their election of new executive members, the outgoing chairman of the branch, Mr. Ferdinand Ugo Ukwueze, refused to dissolve his executive committee whose tenure had elapsed. Mr. Ukwueze premised his decision on the disqualification of the duo of Messrs. Linus Okoro and Anthony Ejili by the branch Electoral Committe.
The members of the association expressed their displeasure and insisted that the Chairman had no right to unilaterlly extend his tenure and those of his executive committee. All efforts to get the Chairman to see the anormally in his decision were rebuffed. In view of the above, majority of the members of the Branch, including senior members of the bar, left the meeting in protest.
Premised on the above development, the NBA President in less than 24 hours of being intimated of the above deveolpment, swiftly set up the caretaker committee and issued directives on the conduct of the branch election. The letter which is attached herewith, addressed all the issues generating chaos in the branch.
CARETAKER COMMITTEE – NSUKKA BRANCH (2)
Our source further hinted that with the caretaker committee in place and the election scheduled, only Mr. Linus Sunday Okoro indicated interest to continue with the election. He was returned unopposed by the electoral committee and peace was restored to the branch.
Other members of the committee, sworn in by the caretaker committee are Clinton L. B. Eze, Esq. Vice Chairman., A. U. Agbo, Esq. Secretary General. A. E. Onu, Esq. Treasurer. and M. O. Ugwuoke, Esq. Financial Secretary. Others are H. O. Eze, Esq. Publicity Secretary, D. U. Ezugwu, Esq. Assistant Secretary General, A. O. Ezema, Esq. Welfare Officer, J. E. Okoro, Esq. Provost and A. C. Ozioko, Esq. Social secretary.