Adesina lodges petition; demands fresh NBA election
An aggrieved presidential candidate in the recently concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) election, Dele Adesina, has lodged a petition against the eventual winner, Olumide Akpata, holding that the electoral process was in gross violation of the statutory provisions guiding NBA election.
Unwilling to allow his perceived manipulation of the electoral process go under the rug, Mr Adesina addressed his petition to the chairman, board of trustees, citing a breach in the 2015 NBA Constitution, as ammended, as grounds for his petition.
According to Mr Adesina, the election was hugely smeared by over-voting, disenfranchisement of eligible voters, amongst other gross irregularities
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Olumide Akpata emerges as NBA President
“I have herein complained of both the process leading to the Election and the Election itself which show instances of lawlessness and gross violation of the NBA constitution. Disregarding the law is worse than corruption. The end product of lawlessness is condemnation and destruction.
“I urge the members of the Board of Trustees of the NBA to intervene and right these wrongs and save the NBA from condemnation and destruction. I believe that leaders must do things right and/or ensure that things are done right. It is needless to say, Mr Chairman and other members of the Board of Trustees of the NBA, that if the process is wrong, the product cannot be right. If the election process is wrongful and unconstitutional, the outcome must suffer the same fate and be cancelled.
“Since 2016 when this electronic voting system started, there have been consistent allegations of system manipulation and rigging which has resulted in litigation over NBA elections. As at today, a criminal action arising from the NBA Election of 2018 is still pending at the Federal High Court. This is a shame to all of us without exception. Patriotism must guide our aspirations and our conscience must always be our companion. The time has come to regain the integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association by putting an end to unconstitutional and fraudulent elections in our association.”
Daily Times had earlier reported Olumide Akpata’s emergence as the newly elected NBA President in the just concluded election. It remains uncertain if the board of trustees will move to annul Akpata’s victory and hold a fresh election
