NBA President Paul Usoro not walked out of NJC meeting

The Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, has denied reports that it’s President, Paul Usoro, SAN did not participate in the NJC meeting yesterday, and left early.

Responding to reports that Mr Usoro was walked out of the meeting because they were not entitled to be there in the first place, Kunle Edun, NBA National Publicity Secretary told Elombah NEWS that the NBA President, was at the meeting with the other NBA Representatives up to the point that the NJC had to consider the Petitions against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen and Hon. Mr. Justice Tanko Muhammad, at which point the NBA Representatives had to leave the meeting in compliance with the constitutional stipulation that excludes NBA Representatives from the meeting when disciplinary issues are considered by the NJC.

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Another senior lawyer and former head of the Abuja Unity Bar also told Elombah NEWS that Paul Usoro, MUIZ Banire, MRs ETOMI and two others remain NBA representatives at the NJC.

“NJC can’t even ask them out and they are entitled to represent NBA at the NJC. They’re free to participate in all NJC proceedings except the ones dealing with discipline of judges . Yesterday’s wasn’t for the discipline of judges so he attended and briefed them before exciting himself to attend to another matter.”

See below below NBA statement:

NBA PRESIDENT BRIEFED NJC ON THE POSITION OF THE NBA .

Gentlemen, while our patriotic members were doing the needful to ensure full compliance with the directive of NBA-NEC regarding the boycott of courts, a false reportage was published purporting that the NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN did not participate in the NJC meeting yesterday, and left early.

Please, kindly disregard the false reportage. It is most unfortunate that important issues can be trivialized for no just cause. The story is 100% untrue.

The NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN was at the meeting with the other NBA Representatives up to the point that the NJC had to consider the Petitions against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen and Hon. Mr. Justice Tanko Muhammad, at which point the NBA Representatives had to leave the meeting in compliance with the constitutional stipulation that excludes NBA Representatives from the meeting when disciplinary issues are considered by the NJC.

It is important to also state that before the exit of the NBA Representatives, the NBA President had FULLY BRIEFED the NJC on the NBA stand & position, and the Council was most appreciative.

We continue to urge members not to be distracted by such negative reportage. The NBA remains non partisan but shall continue to insist that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria be respected by all parties regarding the purported suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Kunle Edun
National Publicity Secretary

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