New NBA president sets up committees to reduce election costs, probe violence at 2022 conference

Yakubu Maikyau NBA president

President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yakubu Maikyau has set up two committees following his swearing-in as his successor to Olumide Akpata.

Mr Maikyau was sworn in as the 31st NBA president on Friday at the close of activities for the 62nd Annual General Conference of the association.

The programme was marred by violence on Tuesday, August 23 when some delegates went on rampage, vandalising and stealing items over inability to collect conference materials.

A statement by the association’s national publicity secretary Akorede Lawal said Maikyau has “set in motion some of the administration’s immediate objectives, including announcing the constitution of an Electoral Reform Committee to be chaired by Mr. E. Y. Kura SAN. A key mandate of this committee is the reduction/minimisation of the costs incurred by candidates during NBA national elections.

“Mr. President also announced the constitution of an Enquiry Committee to be chaired by Mr Wale Fapohunda SAN, whose mandate is to investigate the unfortunate events that transpired on Tuesday, the 23rd of August, 2022 where some delinquent members proceeded to destroy properties and assault staff of the NBA, while members were waiting to collect conference materials.”

In a message earlier sent to NBA members, immediate past president Mr Akpata apologised for the violence and other ugly incidents witnessed at the conference.

He added that Antoche Limited, the company contracted to supply conference materials, and its proprietors have been blacklisted as contractors to the NBA.