FRI, JULY 31 2020-theG&BJournal– ‘’The victory of last night is for our young lawyers who have become disillusioned with the way the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been run over the years and how the profession appears to be disconnected from the challenges that faces and their future,’’ says Olumide Akpata in his victory message today after his successful bid for the President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
‘’It is for the progressive senior lawyers who refused to accept the status quo and took firm steps to ensure that things are done better. It is for the corporate counsel, law officers, law teachers, the police and military lawyers, and lawyers in all components of the profession who for long have been treated as unequal members of an Association that ought to be umbrella body for legal practitioners.’’
Akpata emerged as the new President of the NBA Thursday after he beat his closest rival with over 5,000 votes. He polled 9,891 votes in total to top Babatunde Ajibade and Dele Adsina who scored 4,328 and 3, 982 votes respectively.
‘’The victory of last night is for the lawyer with disability, who has long suffered neglect and indignity by the profession. Above all, our victory is for non-lawyers and the general populace who took an unusual, but a special, interest in the conduct of our elections, thus lending credence to my long-held belief that the Nigerian society has always yearned for a legal profession and indeed a bar that stands tall as an unwavering bastion of the rule of law, an advocate for the sanctity and independence of the judiciary, and a bulwark against tyranny and oppression,’’ Akpata added while accepting declaring acceptance of the mandate.
He noted the complaints by at least one of the presidential candidates about the administrative issues surrounding the elections and suggested that the NBA’s electoral process ought to be and should remain a standard for others to follow.
‘’I strongly believe that there is plenty of room for improvement in our electoral process, and I commit to making this possible,’’ he assured.
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