By Ayodele Oni
True to its threat to excommunicate those behind the formation of a parallel body with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), a member of the national executive council of the association, Nimi Walson Jack, has been suspended.
Walson Jack is a member of NBA NEC by virtue of his being a former general secretary of the body between 2004 and 2006.
The NBA had on 15th December, 2022, resolved during one of its NEC meetings to suspend those behind the promotion of another parallel body, Law Society of Nigeria, (LSN) with the association.
In addition, the association also stripped him of all privileges accruing to him as a past General Secretary.
Walson-Jack has however protested his suspension, saying it violated the NBA Constitution and also breached his right to fair hearing.
The body particularly resolved that a Past NBA General Secretary, Nimi Walson-Jack who acted as a solicitor to the promoters of the new law society be stripped of his privileges as past General Secretary and consequently, be suspended from being a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association.
The meeting equally agreed that the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), is unknown to members of the Bar and mandated the NBA President to commence processes for the delisting of the LSN by the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The LSN’s emergence last October threatened to end the NBA’s 89-year monopoly.
The other identified promoters of the LSN are Kunle Ogunba (SAN), who is the protem President, Nimi Walson-Jack, Vice President; Abdulqadir Alhaji Sani, Secretary; Olasupo Ojo, Welfare Secretary; and Chioma Ferguson, Treasurer.
Others are Douglas Ogbankwa, Publicity Secretary; Zara Umar Yakubu, Financial Secretary; Alice Ogaku Awonugba, Assistant Secretary; and Hassan Sheriff, Assistant Publicity Secretary.
In a statement he issued on his suspension, Walson-Jack said, “the resolution to punish me for representing the promoters of the new law society is a return to the dark ages of socialism and communism when Governments sanctioned and jailed Lawyers for representing persons whose activities were considered contrary to those of the political leadership.
“This infamous resolution would win a gold medal in the coven of dictators, not in the assembly of Lawyers in defense of Democracy and the Rule of Law.
“It is an affront to the right of Lawyers to represent the diverse interests of their law-abiding clients.
“Both the process and substance of arriving at the resolution to sanction me have shown the NBA as being anti-Rule of Law and earned our previously esteemed Association a place in the hall of infamy of dictators and anti-Rule of Law elements who abound in mushroom organizations across Nigeria and the World.
“NBA-NEC has no power to suspend, expel or remove a statutory member like me unless the Constitution is amended, an exclusive preserve of the Annual General Meeting.
“The leadership of the NBA, by its resolution, breached the Constitution of the NBA, my fundamental right to a fair hearing, and the right of my Clients to Counsel of their choice. The President of the NBA was the accuser, persecutor and Judge.”
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