NBA withdraws from National Conference over allocation of one slot

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced its withdrawal from the ongoing National Conference.

This, it said, was in protest of the allocation of only one slot to it by the federal government.

In a communique issued after its executive committee meeting, President of the Association, Chief Okey Wali (SAN), said one representative from the body was not sufficient for the Association to make impact in the proposed conference.

“In view of the fact that so many legal issues would be addressed at the national conference, it is only fitting and proper for the umbrella association of all lawyers, the profession with expertise on law making in Nigeria should have more than one slot,” he said.

Curiously, even Nigeria Students umbrella body, National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, was allocated more than one slot.

The communique, while condeming the recent violent attacks in the North East, Kaduna and Benue states which claimed many lives, called for “dispassionate and decisive” action.

It criticized the dwindling budgetary allocations to the judiciary which dropped from N95 billion in 2010 to N68 billion in 2014.

According to the NBA “only the existence of a virile, fearless, and independent judiciary that can guarantee an enduring democratic government, and the maintenance of law and order.”