By; DAHIRU SULEIMAN, Dutse
The Jigawa State Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been engulfed by a leadership crisis since its last elections, due to alleged state government interference, a situation which most top shots of the union faulted as it violates the union’s constitutional provisions.
Against this background a fact finding committee headed by the union’s National Vice Chairman, Barr. John Aikpokpo was constituted to unravel the circumstances leading to the crisis and profer proper solutions.
Submitting its report at the weekend, the committee recognised Nuhu Tafida as the duly elected chairperson of Dutse Branch.
The committee also frowned against government’s alledged interference with the affairs of NBA in the state.
Earlier, the committee was constituted to amongst other things, look into the leadership crisis rocking the NBA Dutse Branch.
Godwin Omoaka SAN serves as Vice-Chairman of the committee.
Other members are Ahmed Uwais and Abdulrahman El-Ibrany (Secretary).
The Committee found out that the purported executive committee of Dutse branch led by Garba Abubakar, as the chairperson was ab initio unlawfully constituted and in contravention of the provisions of the constitution of the Nigeria Bar Association, the articles of the Uniform Bye-law for Branches and in direct defiance and gross violation of the directives of Paul Usoro, SAN, the then President of the association.
The Committee recommended that Nuhu Suleiman Tafida, Esq and his executives be recognized by the President and the National Executive Committee (NEC) as the duly elected chairman and executives of Dutse Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association forthwith.
“That the Attorney-General of the state, Musa Aliyu, be warned to stop Interfering in the affairs of the Branch,” the report said.
It was delivered at the NEC meeting on Saturday and NEC accepted the report and resolutions for immediate implementation.
The NBA had on February 22, In a bid to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the state (Dutse Branch of the Association), visited for a proper understanding of the issues giving rise to the impasse.
At the engagement, the leader of the NBA delegation, and President of the Association, Mr. Olumide Akpata, reiterated the commitment of the leadership of the NBA in engendering an all-inclusive Bar devoid of rancour at the various branch levels, and pointed out that the absence of peace within a branch of the NBA affects the association.
