Abiodun A. Olatunji (SAN), a partner at Abdullahi Ibrahim & Co. has said that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is bigger than an individual member.

He said this during an interview with Deputy News Editor JOSEPH JIBUEZE of The Nation Newspaper when asked of his opinion as to whether the NBA can survive the controversies that trailed the July 2020 polls of the Association.

He commended Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, for conceding defeat and congratulating Olumide Akpata who emerged the winner of the online polls

“The interesting thing for me is that the candidate who came second during the contest immediately conceded defeat, congratulated the winner and urged all members to rally round the new President to achieve his set goals for the Association. That is the kind of leadership contest that we all desire for the NBA – a contest in which the winner claims victory with grace and the loser accepts defeat with equal grace.” Olatunji said.

Though he admitted that those that are not comfortable with the outcome of the election can challenge it, he said, however, that what should not be accepted is an attempt by a loser of the election to “pull down” the Association.

He said, “Those who disagreed with the outcome of the elections have the rights to disagree and ventilate their grievance (if any) at the appropriate venue. What we should not condone is any attempt by anybody no matter highly placed to pull the association down simply because the individual lost an election. The NBA is bigger than any individual and its interest is superior to every individual member’s interest.”

Olatunji, SAN, condemned the attempt by some lawyers to create “crisis”within the Association. According to him, NBA is the “conscience of the nation” and only unity can help it fight against Executive lawlessness, disrespect to Rule of Law and infringement on the rights of the citizens

He said, “The unfortunate move of some members to form a parallel association and thus create crisis within the association must be condemned by all. The NBA is the conscience of the nation.

“A strong and united bar is a bulwark against government interference in the administration of justice, infringement on citizens’ fundamental rights, disrespect for the rule of law and executive lawlessness.”

He added that if the Association is divided, leaders of the country may not be held accountable again

“If the NBA is divided there will be no association to speak truth to the throne, there will be nobody to hold our leaders to account thus our nation and our people will be at risk. It is, therefore, not in anyone’s interest to allow any form of religious schism or ethnic sentiment to develop within the NBA.” Olatunji, SAN, said

The learned silk described the religious connotation given to the dis-invitation of Kaduna State Governor to the Annual General Conference as” unfortunate”

He said, “The attempt by some members to wrap the whole issue in an ethno-religious garb is rather unfortunate and uncalled for. The National Executive Committee of the NBA issued a statement on this issue, making it clear that the decision to dis-invite Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was based on its judgment that it was not in the best interest of the association to be engulfed in the controversy that trailed the invitation.”

He said NBA is an umbrella body of all lawyers in Nigeria irrespective of religious or ethnic bias.