Group asks NBA to withdraw Obasanjo, Wike’s invitation as conference speakers
- A group of Nigerian lawyers has called on the NBA to withdraw the invitations extended to Obasanjo and Wike
- This follows the NBA's withdrawal of the invitation extended to Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai
- The group said both ex-President Obasanjo and Governor Wike also don't deserve to speak at the event, citing their actions against the rule of law
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The forthcoming annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has continued to generate controversy even after the withdrawal of Governor Nasir El-Rufai's invitation.
The NBA had on Thursday, August 20, withdrawn El-Rufai's invitation following outrage by some of its members and a section of the public.
The lawyers had kicked against the choice of the governor of Kaduna state as a speaker, saying he “represents the very antithesis of what we profess to defend.”
Source: UGC
However, the withdrawal of the invitation of the Kaduna state governor has, in turn, caused another round of outrage.
The Cable reports that a group of lawyers has also asked the NBA to withdraw the invitation of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, as speakers for the conference.
Legit.ng gathers that the lawyers, under the umbrella of the Radical Agenda Movement in the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA), said both Obasanjo and Wike have acted against the rule of law.
The lawyers in a statement released on Saturday, August 22, accused Obasanjo of masterminding the Odi massacre of 1999 and attempted to tamper with the constitution for a third-term agenda.
They also accused the former president of disobeying the Supreme Court order which asked him to release the N21 billion Lagos state local government funds illegally withheld by his administration.
The lawyers also accused Wike of destroying properties during the COVID-19 lockdown in his state despite a court order against his action.
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Meanwhile, the Jigawa state chapter of the NBA has threatened not to participate in the 2020 Virtual Annual General Conference.
The chapter made the statement following the withdrawal of the invitation earlier sent to Governor El-Rufai.
Similarly, the Muslim Rights Concern has reacted to the NBA's withdrawal of its invitation of Governor El-Rufai to its 2020 conference.
MURIC in a statement signed by its director on Friday, August 21, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the NBA’s action as "parochial, myopic and jejune."
The Islamic human rights organisation said the withdrawal of El-Rufai's invitation exposed the NBA’s impatience, intolerance and self-conceit.
"By dropping El-Rufai, NBA has declared war on the other side in the Southern Kaduna crisis. By so doing, it lost a golden chance to be part of the solution to the conflict. NBA has elected to be part of the problem," MURIC said.
Onnoghen's Suspension: Lawyers, Civil Group protest in Abuja | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
