Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Public Interest and Development, Electoral Committee, law led by Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, Esq. has successfully concluded the 2023 elections on Friday, 23rd July, and announced Former First Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins as the new Chairman of the NBA-SPIDEL section.

In its report on the 2023 NBA-SPIDEL Elections, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee Emeka Nwadioke, Esq., has stated that:

“I am delighted to present this report on behalf of the 2023 Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL). On behalf of the members of the Committee, I thank NBA-SPIDEL Committee Chairman, Dr. Monday Ubani and the entire members of the NBA-SPIDEL Committee for finding us worthy to deliver this very important task”.

Continuing, he has explained the process and what had transpired before the elections by recounting that:

“The Committee was appointed on Friday, June 16, 2023 and saddled with the arduous task of being the Election Management Body for the election of Officers and Members of the Executive Committee. Members of the Committee included Emeka Nwadioke, Esq. (Chairman), Kola Omotinugbon, Esq. (Secretary), Abdullahi Karaye, Esq., Francis Ogunbowale, Esq. and Charity Ibezim, Esq”.

“It is note-worthy that two members of the Electoral Committee, namely Abdullahi Karaye, Esq. and Charity Ibezim, Esq. indicated interest to serve the Section as Officers and duly recused themselves from the Electoral Committee”.

On getting the mandate, he stated that the Committee immediately swung into action by putting out requisite notices calling for Expression of Interest and Nominations. The notices were published on NBA-SPIDEL digital platform and also delivered to members via email and subsequently, several members expressed interest to serve the Section by filling out the requisite forms and paying the applicable fees.

On the screening process, Mr. Emeka further wrote that at the end of the screening exercise, the candidates emerged successful, having been deemed as fit and proper persons to fill the vacancies.

Relying the law regulating conduct of elections for sections in the Nigerian Bar Association, he stated that:

“Article XIV (a) of “THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION UNIFORM BYE-LAWS FOR SECTIONS” AS CONTAINED IN PART II OF THE THIRD SCHEDULE TO THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION 2021 provides that “If, in respect of any of the Officers of the Section: (i) there be no more than one person duly nominated for election to an office, that person nominated shall be deemed to have been duly elected to that office.”

“Also, Article XIV (b)(i) of the “THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION UNIFORM BYE-LAWS FOR SECTIONS” AS CONTAINED IN PART II OF THE THIRD SCHEDULE TO THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION 2021 provides that “If, in respect of elected members of the Executive Committee of the Section: the number of persons nominated for election into the

ExecutiveCommittee of the Section does not exceed the number of vacancies in the Executive Committee of the Section as stipulated in this Bye Law, those persons shall, on declaration of their names by the Electoral Committee of the Section, be deemed to have been duly elected members of the Executive Committee of the Section.”

Following a combined effect of Article XIV (a)(i) and Article XIV (b)(i) of the “THE NIGERIAN BAR AS SOCIATION UNIFORM BYE-LAWS FOR SECTIONS” AS CONTAINED IN PART II OF THE THIRD SCHEDULE TO THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION 2021.

The committee subsequently announced the following persons as Officers and Members of Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law: John Aikpokpo-Martins as the Chairman; Princess Frank-Chukwuani as the Vice-Chair; Funmi Adeogun as the Secretary; Chinedu Obienu as the Treasurer; Abdullahi Karaye as the Financial Secretary; and then Charity Ibezim as the Assistant Secretary.

Other members of the Executive Committee includes: Dr. Monday Uban; Prof. Paul Ananaba SAN; Kunle Adegoke, SAN; Uju Agomoh, Esq.; Kunle Edun, Esq; Okey Ohagba, Esq; Yakubu Bawa, Esq; Dorn-Claimz Enamhe, Esq; Igbeaku Evulukwu; Chinelo Ofoegbunam, Esq; Sam Ajayi Jaiye, Esq and then Chisom Onuoha, Esq.

The electoral committee chairman further urged the incoming administration to take the earliest opportunity to appoint Zonal Representatives for the Section as provided for in Article VIII of the “THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION UNIFORM BYE-LAWS FOR SECTIONS,” and in order to assist the regime in delivering on its all-important mandate of safeguarding the public interest.

On recommendations, the electioneering process as said to have been arduous due to the very short time within which the Committee had to deliver on the task. It is recommended that the Electoral Committee is set up in good time to ensure that the Committee has adequate time to deliver on its mandate. Furthermore, the Section is expected to deepen its democratic process, it is also strongly recommended that the Section embraces electronic voting or at the very least, voting via email. This will enable all NBA-SPIDEL financial members (and not only those who attend the

Annual Conference or the Biennial General Meeting in-person) to be a part of the voting process.

In this article