The Eastern Bar Forum (EBF), an umbrella association for lawyers of the South East and South – South geopolitical zones of the country, during its quarterly meeting in Abakaliki, rejected the ongoing efforts to amend the constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
The NBA has constituted a committee headed by Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN to review its constitution and bring it to date to deal with contemporary issues. Consequently the committee sent out memo requesting its branches to send in memorandum on the amendments they desire in the new constitution.
The EBF stated that the timing and procedures for the amendment is not acceptable to the association and urged all branch chairmen and secretaries of EBF members to shun such letters and for those who had responded to it to retract such response immediately.
The group agreed to write the to NBA President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN to convey its decision. Efforts by successive leadership of the NBA to amend its constitution had always met resistance.
The meeting was attended by Bar leaders from the zone and Judges from the Ebony State Judiciary led by the State Chief Judge, Justice Aloy Nwankwor. Others are the First Vice-President of the NBA, Ben Oji who represented NBA President, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN and Second-Vice President of the NBA Monday Onyekachi Ubani, the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA.
Others are John Unachukwu, First Assistant Secretary of the NBA, Leo Okey Ohagba, Asst Publicity Secretary, Chuks Mbamali and many Senior Advocates of Nigeria from the zone including Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, SAN, Nnamdi Ibegbu, SAN, N. A. Nnawuchi, SAN, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN, Gerald Ezuko, SAN, former General Secretaries of the NBA, Chief Emeka Obegolu who is the Vice-President (West Africa) of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and former General Secretary, Mazi Afam Osigwe.
Branch chairmen and secretaries of the 45 branches of the EBF and former national officers of the NBA from the zone and other zones across the country also attended the meeting.
