The Nigerian Bar Association is set to hold National Executive Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 23rd June, 2021 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
THE SQUIB is of the view that the NBA June 2021 NEC Meeting is holding at an auspicious time. With the recently suspended industrial action by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) over autonomy of the Judiciary, most members of the NBA are waiting with abated breath what would be the outcome of the three month timeline of engagement between JUSUN and the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF). Will JUSUN return to strike?
This question is directly posed before the NBA June 2021 NEC. What the NBA NEC needs to urgently do is to discuss and agree on an independent agenda of engagement of the Association with the Governors. This will take the form of an independent correspondence to the Governors' Forum and a template of engagement by Branches of the Association.
This becomes necessary to avoid a situation where NBA becomes an "accessory after the fact" at the face of another round of Industrial action by JUSUN. While the Olumide-Akpata led national leadership of NBA needs to be commended for its extension of solidarity to JUSUN , it must now do more to set an independent agenda on the issue of Judicial Autonomy.
The NEC should also discuss the state of welfare of members of the Association , especially fresh wave of harrasment of lawyers by security agencies. A case in point is that of the harrasment of Mr. Justin Gbagir , the Chairman of NBA Makurdi Branch by EFCC operatives. We call for setting up of National Taskforce against Harrasment of Lawyers which can institute legal action against incidents of harrasment and responds to the cases of harrasment.
The NEC should also discuss the State of the Nation especially the spate of attacks on democratic rights by the Executive of the Federal Government of Nigeria , particularly with the ban on Twitter among others. A Programme of Action on the State of the Nation should be set by NEC to include press conferences, public interest litigation and direct intervention, where possible against these attacks.
It is in this way that the NBA can reclaim its position of pride among her members and the Nigerian citizenry.
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