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The Secretary is insisting Odili made the appointment and did more, while Awomolo told a Federal High Court that appointments as BoB Committee Chair is a privilege not a right.<\/p>\n
In a published report in Law and Society magazine, the raging controversy between the Chair of Nigeria\u2019s Body of Benchers (BoB) Asiwaju A.S. Awomolo, SAN and a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Augustine Alegeh, SAN, is said to have taken a new dimension with retired Supreme Court Justice, Odili, the immediate past Chair of BoB denying ever appointing Alegeh as Chairman, Appointment Committee.<\/p>\n
Following her denial, Chief Awomolo issued a 3 June 2024 query to the Secretary of the BoB, Mr. Daniel Tela. The letter reads: \u201cFind herewith \u00a0Ietter dated 3rd June \u00a02024 from the Immediate \u00a0past chairman, \u00a0Hon. Justice \u00a0Mary Ukaego \u00a0Peter-Odlll, \u00a0]SC (Rtd) on \u00a0the above matter.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I request for your response.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou \u00a0may\u00a0 \u00a0forward to \u00a0me the memo\u00a0approved by the \u00a0former chairman where he instructed you\u00a0I \u00a0write the letter of appointment, please. May \u00a0I \u00a0request \u00a0for \u00a0your response \u00a0by Tuesday \u00a0the \u00a04 \u00a0day ,of \u00a0June 2024, please\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of Justice Odili\u2019s\u00a0letter\u00a0reads: \u201cIt is with great \u00a0shock to read the contents of the letter which in effect \u00a0means that I, as outgoing chairman \u00a0of the Body of Benchers, authorilzed the said appointment. I \u00a0could not have embarked on such an appointment of Augustine Alegeh SAN as Chairman of Appointment Committee for the following reasons:<\/p>\n
1. I \u00a0had made it known to the administration that I had no interest in reconfiguring the Appointment \u00a0Committee during my tenure.<\/p>\n
2. I could not have embarked on such a process on the day I chaired the last meeting of my tenure, which meant that the appointment would not be presented to the House for approval before the letter to the candidate.<\/p>\n
3. I would not have entered into the restructuring of the Appointments Committee without reference to the Vice Chairman with whom I worked as a team\u2026<\/p>\n
In his defence however, Tela insisted that all the instructions he received from the\u00a0five\u00a0 different \u00a0Chairmen he had served as Secretary of the Body were mostly oral. Asserting that it was the secretariat which always raised letters based on the verbal, SMS or WhatsApp instructions of the Chairmen,. On that of Justice Odili appointing Alegeh Chair of Appointments Committee, Tela said: \u201cIt is rare to see a written \u00a0instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Below is a part of Tela\u2019s story:<\/p>\n
\u201cRegarding\u00a0the\u00a0appointment\u00a0 \u00a0of Committee \u00a0members, I \u00a0wish\u00a0 \u00a0to \u00a0clarify \u00a0that \u00a0the Secretariat acts only on the directives \u00a0of the Chairman\u00a0issued \u00a0orally or in writing. I\u00a0say this \u00a0on my honour. The Secretariat\u00a0 sometimes \u00a0makes suggestions\u00a0to the Chairman who is the final authority. In the instant \u00a0case, I suggested\u00a0to the\u00a0 then Chairman, \u00a0Hon. Justice\u00a0 \u00a0Mary \u00a0U. Peter-Odili, \u00a0CFR, JSC \u00a0(Rtd), \u00a0DSSRS, \u00a0that the Chairman of the\u00a0Benchers\u00a0 Appointment \u00a0Committee should\u00a0come from the Bar, given that\u00a0the previous Chairman\u00a0had served two consecutive terms from \u00a0the Bench.\u00a0Mr.\u00a0 Augustine\u00a0Alegeh, SAN, being\u00a0 a Life Bencher and past President\u00a0 of the Nigerian\u00a0Bar Association\u00a0\u00a0was subsequently\u00a0appointed\u00a0as Chairman, based \u00a0on the verbal \u00a0approval of the Chairman.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I state for the record that the above appointment is not the first to be done based on\u00a0verbal communication\u00a0or via\u00a0SMS. There are\u00a0other\u00a0 Chairmen\u00a0and members \u00a0of Committee\u00a0whose
\nappointments were made\u00a0on the\u00a0basis\u00a0of such verbal communication. \u00a0That is why the steps taken on the appointment of Mr. Alegeh, SAN and other members of the Committee was not strange.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrior \u00a0to this, I verbally\u00a0drew\u00a0 the attention \u00a0of the immediate\u00a0past\u00a0Chairman to\u00a0 the \u00a0expiration\u00a0of the tenure\u00a0of the Chairman, Benchers\u00a0 \u00a0Appointment Committee, \u00a0Hon. Justice \u00a0Umaru \u00a0Abdullahi,\u00a0CON and some of the members wherein\u00a0it was agreed that\u00a0they be notified of the expiration\u00a0of their tenure, some\u00a0having served\u00a0beyond\u00a0 the \u00a0stipulated tenure.\u00a0Letters\u00a0 were\u00a0issued notifying \u00a0the following\u00a0 of the expiration\u00a0of their \u00a0tenure \u00a0as members\u00a0of the Benchers Appointment\u00a0 Committee\u00a0having\u00a0\u00a0been appointed\u00a0\u00a0on \u00a0the \u00a08th \u00a0of February, \u00a02018:\u00a0Hon.\u00a0Justice\u00a0 Umaru\u00a0Abdullahi,\u00a0CON;\u00a0Chief\u00a0 Albert Akpomudje, SAN;\u00a0 lchie\u00a0L.M.E.\u00a0Ezeofor,\u00a0Hon. Justice\u00a0\u00a0Oyebola\u00a0\u00a0Ojo. \u00a0This means their \u00a0tenure \u00a0ought to have expired \u00a0on the 5th \u00a0of February, \u00a02024 having served two (2) consecutive \u00a0terms.<\/p>\n
\u201cI further suggested to the Chairman\u00a0the need to replace\u00a0the Benchers whose tenure have expired. I specifically \u00a0suggested\u00a0that the \u00a0nominees to serve on the Committee \u00a0should \u00a0be Life Benchers\u00a0in view of the peculiar\u00a0function\u00a0\u00a0of the Committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing\u00a0\u00a0 the \u00a0above \u00a0suggestion,\u00a0the \u00a0Chairman\u00a0requested\u00a0for\u00a0the \u00a0list \u00a0of members\u00a0 of the Body of Benchers \u00a0which \u00a0I forwarded\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0PA via WhatsApp. The\u00a0Chairman, through \u00a0her \u00a0PA nominated\u00a0 Hon.\u00a0 Justice\u00a0 \u00a0K. \u00a0B. Akaahs, OFR, \u00a0Hon. Justice P.A. Galumje, Hon. Justice A. N. Nwankwo \u00a0and Mr.\u00a0D. D. Dodo, OFR, SAN. The \u00a0list was sent \u00a0to me via WhatsApp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI drew the attention of the Chairman through her PA on WhatsApp\u00a0that\u00a0Mr. Dodo, SAN was already \u00a0a member of two (2) Standing Committees of the Body, and based \u00a0on the Body of Benchers Regulations\u00a0(as amended),\u00a0no Bencher shall serve on more\u00a0 than \u00a0two (2) Standing Committees\u00a0of the Body which the PA responded\u00a0that she will get \u00a0back \u00a0to me. Subsequently, \u00a0the \u00a0PA sent me the name of Hon. Justice Uzo Anyanwu\u00a0as replacement for Mr. Dodo, SAN.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is for the foregoing \u00a0reason that \u00a0Hon.\u00a0Justice \u00a0P. A. Galumje attended \u00a0the meeting \u00a0of the \u00a0Benchers Appointment\u00a0Committee\u00a0held on 22nd May,\u00a02024 and today he remains \u00a0a member \u00a0of the Committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish to emphasize that I have always acted in good faith and in accordance\u00a0with the directives of the Chairman. I have never unilaterally appointed \u00a0any Bencher to serve in any Committee,\u00a0and I cannot do so. My loyalty to the Body and\u00a0its\u00a0leadership\u00a0remains unwavering,\u00a0even\u00a0in the\u00a0face of \u00a0differing opinions\u00a0 or challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, you may recall that by a letter dated 16th April, 2024, I forwarded the list of members of the Committees of the Body indicating the date of appointment of each Committee\u00a0member \u00a0as requested. The\u00a0names\u00a0of the aforementioned Benchers were included on the list, particularly at page 5. (Copy attached for ease of reference). Sir, if l\u00a0was not directed, how could I have included their names on the list of the Benchers Appointment Committee which I forwarded?<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, \u00a0you may further recall my observations\u00a0to you on the 26th of April,\u00a02024 regarding the reconstitution \u00a0of the Committees\u00a0of the Body where\u00a0 I expressed some concerns \u00a0and reservations and also\u00a0mentioned \u00a0the\u00a0 appointment\u00a0of \u00a0the Chairman of the Benchers Appointment Committee.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever,\u00a0I still followed your directives being the Chairman and knowing you have the final say and issued appointment\u00a0letter to Prof. Yusuf \u00a00. \u00a0Ali, \u00a0SAN, as Chairman of the Benchers Appointment Committee as well as other Benchers appointed into various Committees \u00a0as reconstituted.\u00a0God forbid that a\u00a0day will come when\u00a0the Secretariat will refuse to carry out the directives of the Chairman of the Body on account of the manner in which the directives was issued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must state that most instructions\u00a0given to the Secretariat to act are done orally. It is rare to see a written \u00a0instruction. As a matter of fact, it is the Secretariat \u00a0that usually raises a Memo for the Chairman\u2019s approval not the other way round. There are several instances\u00a0 where such memos have been raised or letters written to a Chairman for his information \u00a0and further\u00a0 directives \u00a0or necessary action\u00a0and the response comes either orally or via SMS or WhatsApp messages. Out of respect and in line with the usual practice, the Secretariat \u00a0carries out the directives.\u00a0With the recent development, should\u00a0 the Secretariat only act upon written \u00a0directives given to it for the records? To my mind, the answer should be yes. This way, the records will speak for itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have received oral directives\u00a0from\u00a0various Chairmen on several occasions which were duly carried \u00a0out. This include \u00a0the issuance \u00a0of appointment letters to Hon. Justice Ejembi Eko and Hon.\u00a0Justice \u00a0Sidi Bage as members\u00a0 of the Body of Benchers\u00a0\u00a0in October, 2023 under the chairmanship\u00a0 of the immediate past Chairman,\u00a0the circulation\u00a0 of the list of reconstituted Committees\u00a0to all members on 29th April, 2024, the directive\u00a0that appointment\u00a0 should\u00a0be for a period of two (2) years\u00a0and\u00a0issuance\u00a0of letters to Benchers who objected \u00a0to their\u00a0removal from\u00a0Committees\u00a0informing
\nthem\u00a0\u00a0of\u00a0\u00a0their\u00a0continued membership of the particular Committee. \u00a0I have also received \u00a0oral directives regarding\u00a0changes to meeting dates,\u00a0 Call to Bar ceremonies and\u00a0Traditional Law Dinners.<\/p>\n
\u201cPermit me to state for the record that after the incidence that took place on the\u00a022nd of May, 2024 during\u00a0the\u00a0meeting of the Benchers\u00a0Appointment Committee\u00a0 wherein both Prof. Yusuf 0. \u00a0Ali, SAN and Mr. Augustine \u00a0Alegeh, CON, SAN claimed to be the rightful chairman of the Committee,\u00a0I thought\u00a0it wise to mention to the immediate past Chairman about the embarrassing situation for two (2) reasons; first, because the list of nominees for appointment as Benchers which My Lord the then Chairman recommended for appointment was brought up in \u00a0the course of the meeting and adjourned \u00a0for consideration \u00a0on the 26th of June, \u00a02024.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecondly, to draw My Lord\u2019s \u00a0attention to the fact that Mr. Alegeh, SAN who was appointed during her tenure and Prof. Ali, SAN appointed under the leadership of the current \u00a0Chairman \u00a0were laying\u00a0claim\u00a0to the\u00a0position \u00a0of Chairman of the Committee and expressed my worries about the effect of such incident on the image of the Body. I made this call on the 23rd of May, \u00a02024. In response, \u00a0My Lord thanked me for the information and also told me not to allow anything disturb me, stating that they will sort themselves out.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo my mind, after the report of the incident, the question as to how Mr. Alegeh, SAN and Prof. Ali, SAN were both appointed to chair the Committee would have risen. But none. On the contrary I was told not to allow anything disturb me and that they would sort themselves out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shocked that by a letter dated 3rd June, 2024 I was issued a query alongside the letter written by the immediate past Chairman dated the same 3rd\u00a0June, 2024 denying knowledge of the appointment\u00a0of Mr. Alegeh, SAN. I placed a call to My Lord to find out if the letter actually emanated \u00a0from her and I was surprised to receive a response to the effect that she tried reaching out to me earlier but I was not picking and she had to put together the letter and does not want anything to do with the issue of the Appointment Committee as it was not her position. I reminded\u00a0my\u00a0Lord of our discussion\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0 issue\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0subsequent correspondence but my Lord maintained her position. The conversion ended with a plea that I should \u2018find a way to help Awomolo\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said I have been doing so, but with the content of the letter, I kept wondering how? At the detriment of my integrity, reputation and career, because the content of the letter is damaging to my person. I have been pondering on the import of the statement. I have never and will never work against the interest of any Chairman nor betray the trust reposed on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been inundated with calls on the fact that that the immediate past Chairman did not authorized nor approved the appointment and that I have been queried. I am still wondering how the letter got to the public space.<\/p>\n
\u201cMay I further state that since my assumption of office, this is the first \u00a0time I am receiving a query from any\u00a0Chairman of the Body\u00a0regarding actions \u00a0I took in good faith and based on approval given by the Chairman.<\/p>\n
\u201cI \u00a0am concerned about the negative impact of recent events on the Body\u2019s image and integrity, it has been a major distraction for me in the smooth operation of the Secretariat. I pray that these events wiII soon come to an end, and I remain committed to advising and guiding the Chairman with honesty and integrity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have \u00a0always\u00a0ensured\u00a0that\u00a0 the \u00a0image \u00a0of the \u00a0Body \u00a0and that of the \u00a0leadership is always\u00a0 protected\u00a0by not making\u00a0certain\u00a0comments\u00a0andactions public\u00a0even when it sometimes\u00a0portrays me and the Secretariat\u00a0in bad light. My loyalty to the Body and its leadership\u00a0at all levels\u00a0 remains\u00a0intact.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my \u00a0humble\u00a0view, what\u00a0is most important\u00a0at this stage is finding\u00a0a solution rather than blame\u00a0game. It is never too\u00a0late to make\u00a0things right\u00a0 for the \u00a0good \u00a0of the Body.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, Chief Awomolo has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss the suit filed by Alegeh challenging his removal as as Chair, Appointment Committee on the basis that he has no legal right over the affairs of the BoB and that appointments are not rights but privileges.<\/p>\n
Recall that weeks ago, a Federal High Court in Lagos made an interim order restraining the Chairman, Body of Benchers (BoB) Asiwaju A.S. Awomolo, SAN from removing Mr. Augustine Alegheh , SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) or interferring with his duties as Chairman of the Body of Benchers appointment Committee.<\/p>\n
The Court which held that nothing must be done to alter this appointment during his tenure from 28 March 2024 to 27 March 2027 pending the determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction however refrained from the prayer that Awomolo be restrained from acting as \u201cChairman of the Body of Benchers pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory injunction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Listed as defendants in the suit are: Chief Adeboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN, 1st Defendant and Body of Benchers, 2nd Defendant.<\/p>\n
Alegeh who in the Origination Summons asked the court to determine \u201cWhether having regards to the Body of Benchers Regulations, 2024, the 1st Defendant can unilaterally and in breach of the Regulations, alter and rename the Standing Committees of the 2nd Defendant listed and set out in Regulation I I (3) of the Body of Benchers Regulations 2024\u2032, also made the following allegations:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 1st Defendant had stated severally that he is not bound by the Regulations of the 2nd Defendant and will neither respect and\/or implement the aforesaid Regulations as the Chairman of the Body of
\nBenchers;<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 1st Defendant has been accused of forgery, criminal misrepresentation, impersonation and fraud by the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria [BOSAN], which said allegations have ridiculed, brought dishonor, disrepute and odium to the revered Office of Chairman of the Body of Benchers and may likely lead to disciplinary measures against the 1st Defendant\u2026.<\/p>\n
\u201d On 29th April, 2024, an email was forwarded to all Benchers by the 2nd Defendant\u2019s Secretary on the instructions of the 1st Defendant notifying all Benchers of the 1st Defendant\u2019s unilateral and unlawful reconstitution of the membership of the 2nd Defendant\u2019s Standing Committees and the shortening and\/or reduction of the tenure of office of the Committee Members from three (3) years to two (2) years
\nin flagrant breach and violation of the Benchers Regulation. A copy of the aforesaid email dated 29th April, 2024 issued on the instructions of the 1st Defendant is pleaded and herewith exhibited as EXHIBIT P3.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the aforesaid email under reference, the 1st Defendant unilaterally and maliciously purported to remove me as Chairman of the Appointment Committee of the 2nd Defendant before the expiration of the term of three [3] years that I was appointed to serve.<\/p>\n
\u201dI wrote to the Secretary of the 2nd Defendant via email, drawing his attention to the obvious illegality of the 1st Defendant\u2019s actions and the apparent breach of the Benchers Regulations. A copy of my Letter dated 2nd May, 2024 is pleaded and herewith attached as EXHIBIT P4.<\/p>\n
\u201d When I did not receive any response from the 2nd Defendant\u2019s Secretary regarding my email, I forwarded the aforesaid email directly to the 1st Defendant for his attention and immediate action.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I still did not receive any response from the 1st Defendant to my email, on I 0th day of May, 2024, I sent a copy of my letter in reply to all the Benchers copied in the 2nd Defendant\u2019s email of 29th April, 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing my email of I 0th May, 2024, the 1st Defendant sent a private response to me via email stating that he just read my email and was unaware of my appointment as Chairman of the Appointment Committee of the 2nd Defendant, but rather sought my understanding and acceptance of his unilateral, unlawful and illegal decision on the matter. A copy of the 1st Defendant\u2019s email to me dated I 0th May,
\n2024 is pleaded and herewith attached as EXHIBIT PS.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 1st Defendant, in his aforesaid email response to me, also stated that he had unilaterally and unlawfully created an \u2018Executive Committee for the Body of Benchers\u2019 which he claimed had approved all the projects and programs of his administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I replied the 1st Defendant\u2019s email drawing his attention to his apparent breach of the Benchers Regulations, with particular emphasis on the creation of an \u2018Executive Committee\u2019 for the Body outside the contemplation of the Benchers Regulation. A copy of my email to the 1st Defendant dated I 3th May, 2024 is pleaded and herewith exhibited as EXHIBIT P6.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Wednesday I 5th May, 2024, the 1st Defendant sent me a text message inviting me for a meeting to discuss the matter. I responded via WhatsApp and we agreed to meet at his office at 10am on Thursday, 16th May, 2024. I visited the 1st Defendant\u2019s Office for the meeting, in the company of my Learned Brother Silk and Life Bencher, Joe Agi SAN and left at about I I am after the 1st Defendant failed to
\nturn up for the meeting he fixed in his own office. The 1st Defendant was well aware that I moved my flight from 8.40 am to I pm to enable me meet with him to resolve the matter.<\/p>\n
\u201cSurprisingly, shortly after I left the 1st Defendant\u2019s Office, I received a call from the 1st Defendant who said that he was now in his Office and that he would discuss the matter with me over the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Immediately the 1st Defendant called me I activated my speakerphone so that Joe Agi, SAN who was with me in the same vehicle would be fully aware of all our discussions. The 1st Defendant informed me over the phone to the hearing of Joe Agi, SAN as follows:<\/p>\n
a) That Honourable Justice Mary Odili DSC Rtd.] did not inform him that I had been appointed the Chairman of the 2nd Defendant\u2019s Appointment Committee and consequently my appointment was not binding on him.<\/p>\n
b) That as Vice Chairman to Honourable Justice Mary Odili DSC Rtd.], he was informed of all appointments made by the latter. Hence, my appointment made during the tenure of Honourable Justice Mary Odili DSC Rtd.] without his knowledge, was null and void as he was the center of power at the material time.<\/p>\n
c) That he had personally interviewed all the people who he appointed as Chairmen of the various Committees and selected them on the basis of their commitment to help him achieve his projects and programs during his one [I] year tenure and had assigned them to the Committees they had
\nindicated an interest in.<\/p>\n
d) That he is not bound by the Benchers Regulations and that it is his decisions as Chairman that is important, not the Benchers Regulations.<\/p>\n
e) That in his thirty [32] years as a member of the 2nd Defendant, no member of the 2nd Defendant had challenged any decision or action of a Chairman of the 2nd Defendant and I should do whatever I wanted but his decision cannot be challenged.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat my suggestion to the 1st Defendant that he is bound by the Benchers Regulations and the rule of law infuriated the 1st Defendant and he got very angry on the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cGENESIS OF 15t DEFENDANT\u2019S MALICE TOWARDS THE PLAINTIFF<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I met the 1st Defendant in the course of conducting campaigns for election as President of the Nigerian Bar Association.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I told the 1st Defendant that I was a son of a Policeman who served the Force meritoriously for 35 years and retired in 1985.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat the 1st Defendant told me that he was a former Policeman but did not tell me how long he served in the Police Force and\/or the circumstances that led to his exit from the Police Force.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat when I became the President of the NBA in 2014, the 1st Defendant approached me and requested me to recognize him as a Past President of the NBA on the basis of his claim that during the period of interregnum of the Bar in 1991, he was the Chairman of the Committee of Chairmen that presided over the affairs of the Bar during the period of Interregnum.<\/p>\n
\u201cI informed the 1st Defendant that I would consult with Past Presidents and Bar Leaders over the issue and that if his claim was correct, I would present the issue before the NBA National Executive Committee [NEC] for its decision on the matter.<\/p>\n
\u201d Upon consultation with Past Presidents and Bar Leaders, I discovered that the 1st Defendant was not a Chairman of any branch of the NBA at the time. That the Bar could not have had a Past President during the period of Interregnum occasioned by a dispute over elections.<\/p>\n
\u201cI informed the 1st Defendant of the result of my findings and he was clearly displeased with the outcome as he told me it his life ambition to be recognized as a Past President of the NBA<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the heat of campaigns for the NBA Presidency in 2020, I was yet again approached by the 1st Defendant who informed me that he would deliver a political masterstroke which will guarantee Olumide Akpata\u2019s victory at the Polls.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I dismissed his statement at the material time as I considered him to be an elder of the \u201cEgbe Amofin\u201d group of the NBA which had already endorsed Dele Adesina, SAN as their preferred candidate in the elections.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I told the 1st Defendant of Dele Adesina SAN\u2019s endorsement by Egbe Amofin but he dismissed it as he stated that he was not in support of Dele Adesina, SAN\u2019s candidacy as Dele Adesina, SAN was Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN\u2019s stooge and would be unable to perform creditably in Office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat a few weeks to the conduct of the NBA elections, the 1st Defendant authored a letter in which he claimed that the Presidency of the NBA be ceded and reserved exclusively for Senior Advocates of Nigeria. A copy of the 1st Defendant\u2019s aforesaid letter is pleaded and herewith exhibited as EXHIBIT P7.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat following Olumide Akpata\u2019s emergence as the President of the NBA, the 1st Defendant once again approached me to convince Olumide Akpata to recognize him as a Past President of the NBA He stated that his letter according to him, was the master stroke that gave Olumide Akpata victory at the Polls and that I should put pressure on Olumide Akpata to grant his request. He stated that he believed Olu Akpata would accede to my request as he was very close to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I immediately told the 1st Defendant that I could not raise such a request with Mr. Olu Akpata for the same reasons I declined to accede to his request during my tenure of office as NBA President between 2014 and 2016. The 1st Defendant was visibly displeased and unhappy with my position and stated that I had betrayed him a second time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI firmly believe that the above-mentioned facts collectively constitute the basis for the malice and bad faith being exhibited by the 1st Defendant against me and which has led to 1st Defendant\u2019s unlawful and illegal move to remove me as Chairman of the 2nd Defendant\u2019s Appointment Committee\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25cf Main report by Law and Society Magazine\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The trouble in Nigeria’s House of Law, and more specifically the Body of Benchers (BoB) is deepening and taking twists and turns as major dramatis personnae are getting drawn in. As they get drawn into the battle over Committees’ Chairs, denials are becoming the order of the day. The BoB chair, Solomon Awomolo, SAN, has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":90236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5777,7],"tags":[3264,1428,1386],"class_list":["post-90235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-features","category-news","tag-bicker","tag-bob","tag-trouble"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=90235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/90236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=90235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=90235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=90235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}