FOLLOWING its resolutions of Dec 15, 2022, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has suspended its former General Secretary, Nimi Walson-Jack as a member of the NBA National Executive Council (NBA-NEC).
The body also stripped him of all privileges accruing to him as a past General Secretary.
Walson-Jack who acted as NBA General Secretary between 2004-2006 has however protested his suspension, saying it violated the NBA Constitution and also breached his right to fair hearing.
At the NBA NEC meeting of Dec 15, 2022 which held in Abuja, the NBA had resolved to punish its members who promoted a parallel association, Law Society of Nigeria (LSN).
The body particularly resolved that a Past NBA General Secretary, Nimi Walson-Jack who acted as a solicitor to the promoters of the new law society be stripped of his privileges as past General Secretary and consequently, be suspended from being a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association.
The meeting also resolved that the Law Society of Nigeria (LSN), is unknown to members of the Bar and mandates the NBA President to commence processes for the delisting of the LSN by the Corporate Affairs Commission.
The LSN’s emergence last October threatened to end the NBA’s 89-year monopoly.
The other promoters of the LSN are Kunle Ogunba (SAN), who is the protem President, Nimi Walson-Jack, Vice President; Abdulqadir Alhaji Sani, Secretary; Olasupo Ojo, Welfare Secretary; and Chioma Ferguson, Treasurer.
Others are Douglas Ogbankwa, Publicity Secretary; Zara Umar Yakubu, Financial Secretary; Alice Ogaku Awonugba, Assistant Secretary; and Hassan Sheriff, Assistant Publicity Secretary.
As at the time of this report, no action had been taken against the other promoters but in a statement he issued on his suspension, Walson-Jack said, “the resolution to punish me for representing the promoters of the new law society is a return to the dark ages of socialism and communism when Governments sanctioned and jailed Lawyers for representing persons whose activities were considered contrary to those of the political leadership.
“This infamous resolution would win a gold medal in the coven of dictators, not in the assembly of Lawyers in defense of Democracy and the Rule of Law. It is an affront to the right of Lawyers to represent the diverse interests of their law-abiding clients”.
According to him, “both the process and substance of arriving at the resolution to sanction me have shown the NBA as being anti-Rule of Law and earned our previously esteemed Association a place in the hall of infamy of dictators and anti-Rule of Law elements who abound in mushroom organizations across Nigeria and the World.”
