Remove Obasanjo and Wike from NBA conference, Muslim lawyers charge NBA

The Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria has demanded that the Nigerian Bar Association remove ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, from the list of speakers in the upcoming Annual General Conference of the NBA.

The call comes prequel to the disqualification of one of the invited speakers, which saw thousands of lawyers sign a petition for the NBA to remove Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, from the list of speakers due to his government’s failure to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna, and his alleged poor human rights record.

The summary of the petition against el-Rufai, which was started by Usani Odum, read, “The senseless killings in Southern Kaduna must stop.

“The political correctness of Governor el-Rufai on national TV is diversionary. It is a reversal to have him speak to lawyers on security, when Governor (Babagana) Zulum of Borno, a better person, can do so.

READ ALSO: Why NBA was right to remove El-Rufai from conference

“We may not be able to do anything to stop the killings, but we can stop the governor from speaking at the NBA-AGC to show our disapproval of the manner he has handled the situation.”

Following fierce contestations for the disqualification of Goernor el-Rufai, the NBA consequently caved in, announcing its resolve to withdraw Mr el-Rufai’s invitation.

“The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir el-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the governor” the association said in a tweet.

In another development, the Dutse branch of the NBA, also threatened to boycott the 60th virtual conference which holds between August 26 and 29, 2020, if el-Rufai is not re-invited.

Other speakers at the conference with the theme, ‘Step Forward’, include Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo; House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad; Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The Punch reports that on Saturday, president of the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria, Ibrahim Abikan, said his association objected to having Obasanjo and Wike as speakers at the conference because they were allegedly guilty of the same allegations filed against el-Rufai.

Abikan said the outgoing NBA president, Paul Usoro, SAN, reached out to MULAN, asking them to suggest an alternative “Northern Muslim speaker” following the disqualification of el-Rufai.

Abikan, a Professor of Law at the University of Ilorin, said,

“MULAN didn’t suggest or recommend el-Rufai to be one of the speakers, so, we wonder why we were approached to come up with an alternative Northern Muslim governor to replace el-Rufai.

“We insist that if any standard is set for withdrawing el-Rufai, the same should apply to other speakers too.

“El-Rufai is a public officer and any other person who has the same record of allegations of human rights abuses should also be disqualified.

“We expect that the same standard should apply to Obasanjo and Wike.

“People have started forwarding petitions to me of allegations of human rights abuses and disrespect for the rule of law against Obasanjo and Wike. They have started forwarding it to NBA Conference Planning Committee and the NBA as a body.

“Our position is that whoever is going to be speaker should be able to give us quality presentation.”