Justices’ appointment: I was quoted out of context – NBA president

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Olumide Akpata, has said that he was quoted out of context by a section of the media in his criticism of the selection process of the recently recommended Appeal Court Justices.

Akpata stated that a member of the NBA National Executive Committee misrepresented his concerns on the appointment of the justices when he rushed to an online blog and published his own version of the statement.

The NBA president said in the process, he was quoted out of context.

Akpata, who spoke at a public forum at the Supreme Court, Abuja, stated further that the NBA NEC member, who misrepresented him in the offending media publication, was entitled to attend the meeting, insisting he has no control over him.

Apparently feeling the bad blood created by the publication, especially between the NBA and the National Judicial Council (NJC), Akpata assured that the relationship between the bar and the bench would be continually nurtured and sustained.

“Let me use this opportunity to touch on certain statements attributed to me that have unfortunately found its way into the social media space and become subject of public discourse.

“On March 18, 2021, as the president of the NBA, I chaired a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NBA-NEC) of the NBA held in Uyo, the Akwa lbom state capital.

“At that meeting, as it is customary, I reported my overall activities including my participation at the last NJC interview meeting of the recently appointed justices of the Court of Appeal.

“I informed the meeting that during this exercise, I expressed concerns about the competence of some of the candidates that were interviewed and the process that led to the recommendation of twenty candidates to the NJC for appointment as justices of the Court of Appeal.

“As I mentioned earlier, the foregoing formed part of my report to the NBA-NEC, a body to which, as president of the NBA, I am accountable.

“Unfortunately, one of the members of NBA-NEC rushed to the online blogs and published his own version of that statement and in the process quoted me, not necessarily incorrectly, but definitely out of context,” Akpata said.

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