Pandemonium broke out Friday morning at the Nigeria Bar Association Port Harcourt branch secretariat following intense disagreements among lawyers divided over whether Friday’s scheduled election should proceed.
Some candidates and lawyers who spoke to AIT expressed deep disappointment in the conduct of the Caretaker Committee CTC leading up to the election, citing under-the-table tactics.
Dissenting legal practitioners in a shouting match as some berated the caretaker and electoral committees for a lack of transparency.
This issue was further compounded by a court order restraining the committee from conducting the election, which was subsequently vacated on Thursday.
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The Secretary of the CTC, Friday Azubuike, dismissed the allegations as unfounded, maintaining that the committee acted strictly within the electoral guidelines to ensure a free and fair exercise.
To douse rising tensions, NBA President Afam Osigwe addressed the lawyers through his First Vice President, Sebastien Anya, announcing an immediate postponement of the election.
Although a new date has not yet been fixed, the election is expected to hold before the upcoming NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, which is billed for next month.
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(Editor: Roluke Ogundele)
