*It is a show of desperation which is unbecoming” — NBA President, Akpata

The Suspended General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Joyce Oduah has sent a reminder notice for the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association slated to hold later today.

In an email sent from her official address, joyce.oduah@nigerianbar.org.ng, and sighted by ASKLEGALPALACE, Mrs Joyce who has been at the centre of an unresolved controversy with other members of the Olumide Akpata-led National Executive Committee, reminded members of the Association that the Annual General Meeting will hold today, and it will be a hybrid meeting. According to particulars of the said email, it was dispatched to all NBA members at 2:20AM and reads in part;

“Kindly be reminded that the AGM of our Association comes up on the 25th of August, 2022 at Eko Atlantic. It will be a hybrid meeting so that members who cannot attend physically can participate virtually.

Zoom link for virtual participation will be sent in due course.”

However, in a call chat with TheNigeriaLawyer this morning, the President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata emphatically denounced the said email as illegal, unlawful and invalid. According to him, the email was brought to his attention this morning and said urged members of the Association to discountenance correspondence from her as she stands suspended.

He described the move by Mrs Joyce as “a display of desperation that is unbecoming”, and hinted of an official response from the leadership of the NBA in that regard.

Recall that Mrs Joyce Oduah who was suspended by the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association for allegations bordering on disobedience to lawful orders, incompetence, unruly behaviour amongst others, had her suspension ratified by the NBA-NEC in its pre-AGC meeting despite warnings from Joyce’s lawyer Abdul-Rasheed SAN about the pending case challenging her suspension.

On Tuesday, 23rd of August, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja set aside the ratification of her suspension by the NEC.

According to the Court, “having submitted to court jurisdiction and joined issues with the plaintiff in court and with or without the express order of the court, no party ought to have taken any further steps on the subject matter of the litigation.

The Judge said the action of the NBA’S Council in relation to the unlawful ratification was irritating, annoying, condemnable and liable to be set aside since the actors in the illegal ratification cannot claim ignorance of the position of law on such a contemptuous attitude.”

According to the Akpata, though the ratification was voided, her suspension by the National Officers remained effective and said the matter is slated for hearing on the 31st of August, 2022.