The Mid-West story…

In another development, the Chairman of Mid-West Bar Forum Ferdinand Orbih SAN has once again, restated the Forum’s position in the race for the 2014 Presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association, which according to him is zoned to the Western region of Nigeria; comprising of the South-western zone and the Mid-western zone respectively.

“The NBA is one family and has in the past produced Presidents of Mid-western extraction. These include Dr. Mudiaga Odge (1974 – 1975) and Mr. Charles Idehen (1989 – 1991) and any attempt to exclude the Mid-west from the Three (3) consecutive rounds in which NBA presidency has been zoned to the West will be unfair,” he cautioned.

“We are surprised that despite all our entreaties, Lawyers from the South-west are still jostling for the 2014 NBA presidency and the Mid-west Bar Forum notes that the Egbe-Amofin has broken into factions. While this development is none of our business, we urge that the present deluge of text messages and emails which are uncomplimentary do not augur well for the entire NBA and we urge our brothers in the South-west to sheathe their swords and in the spirit of brotherliness, support the candidate of the Mid-west as 2014 is certainly the turn of the Mid-west and not the South-west to produce the next President of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

In an explanatory brief on the subject matter, Ferdinand explained that during the tenure of Mr. J.B. Daudu SAN (2010 – 2012) and as a result of the agitation of the Mid-west to granted a Presidential slot which was supported by other groups within the NBA and which would have resulted in the creation of more zones for the NBA Presidency, the South-west led by Chief Bamidele Aiku SAN conceded and accepted the fact that the Mid-west is part of the West and whenever Presidency is zoned to the West, both the Mid-west and South-west would be entitled to contest for the position. This was the position of the Mid-west but the South-west has always insisted before this concession by Chief Bamidele Aiku SAN that the West comprised of only the South-west.

Chief Bamidele Aiku SAN on behalf of the South-west, offered to work out a rotational policy between the Mid-west and South-west zones with respect to whenever the NBA presidency is zoned to the West.

Subsequently, the Mid-west Bar Forum led by its Chairman visited the South-west Bar Forum (Egbe Amofin) at the residence of its Chairman Chief Bamidele Aiku SAN in June 2012 and informed the Egbe Amofin that in view of the fact that the South-west zone had produced the past Presidents of the NBA on the Two (2) occasions the NBA presidency had been zoned to the West, that it accords with reason, equity and fairness that the 2014 NBA presidency should go to the Mid-west zone.

Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, responding on behalf of the Egbe Amofin group stated that they wanted to produce the next NBA President zoned to the West in 2014. That they had, in 2008, offered the position to Albert Akpomudje SAN of the Mid-west but he had declined and on the basis that the Mid-west had no other viable candidates for the position, Olurotimi Akeredolu of the South-west became the NBA President in 2008.

The Chairman of the Mid-west Bar Forum at that time, Chief Albert Akpomudje SAN confirmed the offer to him and stated that the Mid-west now has viable candidates for the race and further drew the attention of the South-west to the existence of a similar rotational policy in the Eastern Bar Forum between the majority South-eastern States (Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi) and the minority Riverine States (Rivers, Cross-river, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa).

He stated that the first time NBA presidency was zoned to the East in 2000, the slot was given to Chief O.C.J. Okocha SAN who hails from Rivers State. The second time in 2006, it was rotated to Mr. Olisa Agbakoba of the South-east. On the third occasion in 2012, the Eastern Bar Forum in line with the principles of equity and fairness accepted Okey Wali SAN of Rivers State to pilot the affairs of the NBA.

Chief Albert Akpomudje SAN appealed to the leadership of the Egbe Amofin to tow the same line of honor like the Eastern Bar Forum as their proposed sharing formula of 3:1 is inequitable and unfair. The meeting ended with an understanding that both groups should consult their members and convene at a later date. This meeting is yet to be held.

Not waiting to be engulfed by the crisis in the South West, the Mid-west Bar Forum has gone ahead to adopt Augustine Alegeh, SAN as its preferred candidate for the 2014 NBA presidential elections.