"PLEASE, TAKE OVER UYO BAR ELECTIONS TO AVOID BLOODSHED"

"PLEASE, TAKE OVER UYO BAR ELECTIONS TO AVOID BLOODSHED"

Meti M.Ukpeh, Esq. Uyo-based Human Rights Lawyer Cries out to  NBA President, Y. C. Maikyau, SAN(OON) 

Respectfully sir, rather than the electoral committee headed by the Ekanem Ekanem, Esq.,  to respect and effect the decision of the Branch Appeal Committee(East) delivered on 20/06/2023, the Ekanem Ekanem-led Eleco committee has moved on to publish list of ineligible voters for the elections on the 21/06/2023, but disenfranchised most lawyers(over 400) from voting in the forthcoming elections. This is clearly against the  express, concise, unambiquous and unemotional reading of S.15(1) of the NBA, UNIFIED BYELAW, 2021, the said extraneous and ineligible names published purportedly as voters on 21/06/2023 are unqualified to vote in the forthcoming elections. 

Sir, The below are the extraneous names and particulars of the ineligible and/or unqualified voters imported for the elections, viz:

Names...... List No. 

Ajah Philip Mbam(131)

Ezekweshi Chisom (112)

Christopher Stephanie C. (113)

Orjigwe Rosinejoy Chinwedu

Egbuna ifeanyi A. (116)

Oluyede Yvonne(125)

Asogwa Valentine O. (140)

Onyibo John F. (184)

Abraham Nsukile Udo(179)

Umeh Andrew(188) Onyeachukwu

Naziga Dornubari M. (167)

Okonkwo chiamaka (145)

Adufu ifunanyachukwu Blessing (150)

Okonkwo Chiamaka P(145)

Umegechi Pamela A. (161)

Affordile Ignatius (157)

Okechi M. Amarachi (114)

Takon Caroline O. (168)

Onwuezobe Eseoghene(194)

Fursbury Ruth Jenewari(248)

Okafor Helen O. (142)

Adufu I. Blessing (150)

Richard Nwinue(249)

Utong G. Clinton(250)

Iwuchukwu somto jude (110)

Afiukwa Chiukwunonso I. (251)

Josephine Akadi(254)

Clement Iziogo Nwopoke(187)

Onugbufor Ebele (120)

Joseph Andrew Ime(180)

Aghadiuno Ignatius O. (164)

Juliet S. Uwajuonye(111)

Ubarezerem C. Precious (165)

Wogu Comfort Nnenna(269).

The committee has rather disenfranchised over four hundred(400) members of the bar

Consequently, the purported voter's list published on 21/06/2023 runs foul of the provision of S.15(1) NBA, UBL, 2021, hence invalid,  void and unconstitutional. 

The electoral committee lacks the vires to publish, disenfranchise, wave, change, mutilate or alter voter's list radically different from the express wordings of S. 15(3) of NBA, UBL 2021.

Consequently, it is my humble plea that,  premised on the decision of the Branch Appeal committee(East) delivered on 20/06/2023 and to forestall chaos and impending crisis, I pray the President and NBA NATIONAL, very solemnly, to take over the electoral processes of Uyo-Bar, relieve the Electoral Chairman, Ekanem Ekanem, Esq.,  of his duty for obvious partisanship to ensure fairness and equal playing ground to all parties, lest the would-be election is already a script, stage-managed by the current eleco chairman and the branch chairman. The situation may be beyond salvage as lawyers disenfranchised have deeply registered their displeasure. 

The election is barely a week left (29/06/2023) and if proactive step is not taken, the avoidable outcome may be inevitable .

Let rule of law prevail... 

Thank you sir