July 4, 2017
By Ijendu Iheaka
A group of members of the Aba chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association has petitioned the national body over perceived election irregularities.
A copy of the petition signed by Victor Nwugo, David Orji, Victor Onwere and 96 other members, was made available to newsmen at a media briefing in Aba, Abia, on Tuesday.
The petition was sequel to the election of new executive officers of the chapter held on June 30, which the group claimed was inconclusive.
The group noted that the procedures leading up to the election were flawed.
According to the group, the electoral committee was set up in January 2017 contrary to paragraph 17 (1) of the NBA Uniform Bye-Law.
It stated that the publication of the list of voters on election day was contrary to the recommended 14 days as contained in the electoral rules.
Furthermore, the group stated that the immediate past chairman of the body did not allow the presentation of the chapter’s financial report at the last Annual General Meeting before the purported election.
According to the petitioners, there was no accreditation of voters and no voting, to warrant the issuance of Certificate of Return to any candidate on the said election day.
They claimed that for two years, there had been no official list of financial members, raising the issue of masking eligible voters to the benefit of some candidates.
The petition indicated that the parties had agreed to resolve the irregularities related to voters’ list on the election morning, only to find an addition of strange names at the venue.
The development, they stated, made it impossible to hold the election.
However, to their amazement, some of the candidates later posted on social media platforms photographs of their swearing in ceremony at Terminus Hotels, Aba.
The group, therefore, urged the national body to take urgent action and direct the preparation of the list of eligible voters, with a view to conducting credible elections immediately.
They called for the activation of paragraph 11 (1) of the 2015 NBA Bye-law and constitute a three-man interim committee to manage the affairs of Aba chapter, pending proper elections.
Meanwhile, some aggrieved candidates who spoke to newsmen at a media briefing on Tuesday, included Euphemia Eleonu, Chinedu Nwaozuzu and Uchenna Umenne.
The candidates said that unless the national body urgently rectified the anomaly, the chapter would not be allowed to function with the purportedly sworn in executives.
Meanwhile, the newly sworn-in Chairman, Mr Bob Ogu, has urged all members of the Aba NBA to cooperate with him to build the chapter.
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