The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has requested the arrest and prosecution of electoral offenders identified during the just- concluded General Elections.
The association made the call in a communique by its National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb-Lawal at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) quarterly meeting held in Kebbi on March 23.
The association condemned what it described as tribal and ethnic bigotry, violence and intimidation of voters recorded during the elections, particularly in Lagos State.
“NEC calls for the prosecution of identified electoral offenders,” it said.
The association also called for a live broadcast of the election petition proceedings, particularly the presidential election petition by volunteering media houses.
The association said this would go a long way in boosting the confidence of the public in the judiciary, which was currently at an all-time low.
“This will give citizens the opportunity to follow the proceedings, have better knowledge of the facts and an understanding of the reasoning behind decisions of the courts in those matters, particularly how the Electoral Act and other applicable laws are applied to election petition matters,’’ the association said.
The NBA said that the NEC of the association, as part of efforts to stem quackery within the profession, adopted and approved the NBA General Secretary’s proposal for the introduction of a new NBA Stamp.
It explained that the new stamp will have improved security features and car stickers with QR codes for lawyers.
“The essence of the stickers, which will be produced, owned, and distributed by the NBA, is to tackle the inadequacy of the current sticker that is available on the streets and used by non-lawyers, including commercial motorists,’’ communiqué noted.
The association also said that NEC resolved that NBA should sponsor a preferred nominee of the bar to represent the association as the Vice Chairman.
This, according to the document, was because of the expiration of the tenure of the current Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and the fact that the Vice Chairman of the body shall be nominated from the bar.
Consequently, Funke Adekoya, SAN, was unanimously nominated and adopted as the nominee of the NBA for the position of Vice Chairman of the Body of Benchers.
It was further resolved that, if Adekoya declined the nomination, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, would step in as the alternate nominee of the NBA.
The NBA-NEC also considered the budget of the Annual General Conference Planning Committee (AGCPC) and approved same alongside the proposed 2023 Annual General Conference Fees.
This would see senior citizens, lawyers of 70 years and above, attend the conference for the first time, free of charge, and lawyers of one to five years call pay an early bird fee of N15,000.