Gbenro Adesina
The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has withdrawn its invitation to Kaduna state Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, as a guest speaker at its conference.
The association took the decision at its just concluded National Executive Committee meeting.
The NBA made this known in a tweet on Thursday on its Twitter page. It said, “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to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the Governor.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 governor was initially billed to talk on the security issues in his state, among other issues.
Some Nigerian lawyers had in the past days protested the inclusion of Governor el-Rufai as a guest speaker in the conference by the leadership of the NBA.
n a petition to Koyinsola Ajayi, chairman of the technical committee on the NBA conference planning, the lawyers under the aegis of Open Bar Initiative described the invitation as a “reward for misrule.”
In the petition, Silas Onu, convener of the group, said the governor “represents the very anti-thesis of what we profess to defend.”
The group also said that in addition to governing a state that has been described as “the most dangerous state in Nigeria in 2020, el-Rufai has on several occasions abused the rights of Nigerians”.
It added that “a major focus of the intolerance of Mallam el-Rufai has been lawyers and the legal profession,” recalling when, in 2016, the governor allegedly threatened to abduct Gloria Ballason, a lawyer, “because she had criticised him in a news article.”
The lawyers further said while speaking at the conference may be argued as an opportunity for el-Rufai to be examined by the participants, lawyers who have criticised him “have suffered untold persecution” from the governor.
“As Governor, Mallam el-Rufai has shown no regard for the rule of law, for human rights or for human beings,” the petition read.
“He has been reckless in his utterances, hubristic in his outlook and irresponsible with power. Offering him the platform of the NBA Annual General Conference 2020 is reward for misrule.”
The Annual General Conference (AGC) 2020 of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) scheduled for August 26-29, 2020 is the NBA’s first virtual conference, drawing participants internationally, with over 15,000 already registered.
Speakers expected at the conference include Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State; Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party at the 2019 election; Tunde Bakare, a cleric and Chairman, African Advisory Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society; Oby Ezekwesili, an activist and former minister; and Salamatu Suleiman, immediate-past ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
Other speakers at the conference include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives; and Tanko Muhammad, Chief Justice of Nigeria; Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President; Ike Ekweremadu, former Deputy Senate President; and Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation.
