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CJN opens 62nd NBA conference, as Atiku, Obi, Shettima storm venue

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has declared the 62nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) opened in Lagos on Monday.

This is as four presidential candidates and a vice-presidential candidate of some political parties stormed the venue of the event to participate in a session at the conference.

Declaring the week-long event open, the CJN who was represented at the event by the Chief Judge of Lagos State Justice Kazeem Alogba, urged lawyers to continue to be in the vanguard of protecting the rule of law.

In his speech at the event, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, noted that lawyers have a great responsibility on their shoulders, saying it goes beyond ensuring their own comfort.

The governor, who was represented by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), noted that the conference theme, ‘Bold Transitions’, resonates on several levels, particularly as the nation is preparing for another round of elections in 2023.

In his welcome address, the President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata, said all crises in the Association have been sorted out.

“The Bar has made serious progress. We have come far, we are doing well and we are strong. Crises in the NBA, perceived, real or imagined, are all sorted,” he said.

The keynote speaker at the event, Chimamanda Adichie, noted that rising insecurity in the country is a fundamental problem of the failure of the rule of law.

She said the NBA has a great role to play in the success of the forthcoming general election in the country.

“We are counting on the NBA to act as our collective social conscience in the forthcoming election in 2023,” she said.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Prof. Peter Umeadi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Adewale Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party and Dr. Dumebi Kachuchu of the ADC, were the presidential candidates in attendance. The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, was, however, represented at the event by his running mate, Kassim Shettima. The session for the presidential candidates is ongoing.

The 62nd Annual Conference of the NBA is physically being attended by about 13,000 lawyers.

 

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