We won’t participate in National Conference — NBA

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has threatened to boycott the forthcoming National Conference over the allocation of one slot of delegate to the association.

It made its stand known yesterday at the presentation of cheques from the NBA Special Relief Fund to its members from the North-east who were affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the zone.

The Association’s President, Mr. Okey Wali, said: “We wondered why the body of lawyers would get just one slot. We do not think that that will give us enough opportunity to make the impact we would have love to make. If it is an oversight then something has to be done to correct it, but if it is not then it is a clear message that we are not welcome. We regret that we will be unable to accept the one slot offer.”

The occasion witnessed the presentation of cheques to representatives of the affected lawyers.
Speaking on the Association’s relief funds, Wali said it was one of the tripartite roles of a Bar Association which is representation of the interest and welfare of its members could play.

He said: “In carrying out this role, and appreciating the plight of our members in the North-eastern Nigerian, the NBA established North-east Special Relief Funds Initiative to assist the families of our members that have been killed and displaced as a result of the insurgency in the North-east.”

Responding, on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Secretary of the Maiduguri branch of the NBA, Mr Abdulwasiu Alfa, thanked the Bar for the gesture, noting that move was the first of its kind members that had been affected by the crisis.