NBA election: My rejection of screening committee based on principle, says Akintola, presidential candidate‏

One of the aspirants to the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association, Adeniyi Akintola, has said that his decision to shun a screening exercise organised by the Egbe Amofin, a conglomerate of lawyers in the southwest, in Ibadan on Saturday was based on principle.

 

Mr. Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, spoke to journalists on Saturday shortly after the committee, headed by Mrs. Priscilla Kuye, SAN, terminated its over four hours of deliberation without achieving its mission.

The committee was raised by the group (Egbe Amofin) to pick a consensus candidate among four of their members who aspire to the office of NBA president.

Other aspirants from the group aside Akintola are Mrs. Funke Adekoya, Dele Adesina, both SAN; and Erastus Irabor.

A day before the committee's sitting, Akintola and Adekoya had written a strongly-worded letter each to reject its composition and as well dissociate themselves from its activities.

Apart from questioning the integrity of many of the committee members, Akintola said a number of them are less than ten years in practice, saying that was against the tradition of their profession.

The position infuriated the affected members of the committee, who accused him of being arrogant.

But, Akintola, in his response to the interpretation of his position, said his position was based on principle.

"I stand by what I said. A situation where 35-year-old men would ask me to come for screening is insulting. It is unprecedented in the annals of Egbe Amofin. When we picked Chief Wole Olanipekun, it was by the elders, highly sensible, principled and skilled seniors who were veterans in the profession.

"You see, the stand of Mrs. Funke Adekoya (SAN) and I have been based on principle. We are lawyers, we are not touts. You can imagine people standing in front of cameras talking as if they are politicians. When you now subject the position of the presidency of the bar to something that hooligans take part in is becoming.

"That was why I said I won't subject myself to the exercise. Some of them are under five years at the bar. The one in Otta, his tenure has expired. Mrs. Adekoya is even talking about integrity, that they have been compromised. But the truth is that when elders subjugate their responsibilities, I can't take part in such exercise," he said.

Mrs. Kuye had earlier told the press that the committee would revert to the larger house to inform them that they could not accomplish the mission given to them.

She said it would not be just to continue the screening if two of the three remaining candidates are raising allegation against the composition of the committee.

Citing justice, equity and fairness to all as the reasons for their decision, the first female president of the NBA noted that the allegations would be presented to the group for investigation and appropriate action.

Mrs. Adekoya had alleged that some members of the committee had received monetary inducement to ensure emergence of a particular candidate at the screening.