One of the co-founders of the New Nigerian Bar Association (New NBA), Nuhu Ibrahim, Esq., has thrown more light on the reasons for splitting from the main body.
The Kaduna-based lawyer said that contrary to what is circulating in the media space, the disinvitation of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai from the Annual General Conference of NBA was not the reason for creating the splinter group.
Ibrahim, who is the Leader of the New NBA, claimed that the main body has derailed from its purpose.
He said that the main NBA has relegated rule of law and justice in running its affairs.
“Unity of every group of persons or professionals is hinged on justice and the rule of law, once these principles are absent, there will certainly come some form of agitations.
“Not only the dis-invitation of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai but a lot of other injustices has culminated to what today some view as a division in the legal profession, to me, it is not division.
“The problem is how the old NBA, which parades a motto: promotion of rule of law, has been derailing from its mandate.
“People should not confuse the NBA being an association and the legal profession. The two are distinctive,” he stated.
The lawyer noted that the decision to split from the group was not a hasty one as believed in many quarters, insisting that “many lawyers from all parts of the country are very disenchanted as well; it is just a question of who speaks up.”
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Ibrahim further explained that the New NBA was not limited to Northern lawyers.
“The NNBA is not a northern affair, the last time I checked, the full meaning of NNBA is “New Nigeria Bar Association” not “Northern Bar Association”.
“I don’t know whether there is any wider definition of “northern Nigeria” that includes, Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, or Owerri because we have lawyers of like minds cutting across all sections of the country,” he stated.