Court gives decision in case between NBA and its former assistant publicity secretary

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Jabi and presided over by Justice Halilu, on Tuesday declared John Unachukwu, the law editor of the Nation newspaper and substantive national publicity secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) the sole candidate for the office of National Publicity Secretary at the 2016 NBA General Elections and thus duly elected as National Publicity Secretary of the NBA.

Giving its judgment in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/2411/2016 Between John Echezona Unachukwu vs. Incorporated Trustees of the NBA, the court held that: “It has jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit before it because the Dispute Resolution Committee had not been constituted at the time the cause of action arose so the Plaintiff could not have complied with Section 16 of the NBA Constitution, 2015.

“The decision of the 3rd -7th Defendants disqualifying the Plaintiff from contesting the NBA election as National Publicity Secretary was nullified because it was done without affording the Plaintiff an opportunity to be heard.

“The Court also declared the Plaintiff as the sole candidate for the office of National Publicity Secretary of the NBA in the 2016 General Elections and consequently declared the Plaintiff as the duly elected National Publicity Secretary of the NBA though the Court observed that the position of National Publicity Secretary was filled during the pendency of the suit, parties were absent in court.

Unachukwu had been disqualified from contesting election into the office during the associations general election held in July 2016 after he had campaigned and emerged the only candidate for the office.  He was disqualified by the then Ken Mozia – led NBA Electoral Committee on grounds  of being an editor in a national daily and not in active law practice as envisaged by NBA  constitution   and he went to court to seek redress.