NBA confab: Lawyers seek removal of Obasanjo, others as speakers

A group has called for the removal of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo,  as speakers in  the  planned 2020 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

In a statement jointly  signed by Chairman of Radical Agenda Movement In the Nigerian Bar Association (RAMINBA), Mr. Adesina Ogunlana and Secretary, Ayo Ademiluyi, hailed the dis-invitation to Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“That decision in our respectful view is a sanction  against poor leadership approach in the handling of the genocidal southern Kaduna crisis in Governor’s  El-Rufai’s jurisdiction  as well  as a demonstrable penchant for disrespect for rule of law and high-handedness in official capacity.

“We are, however, baffled that the list of speakers at the conference still retains the names of Balogun Olusegun Obasanjo,  retired general and former president and others.

“We are persuaded that these men by their antecedents  vis-a vis the respect for and promotion for the rule of law and due process are not fit for invitation as speakers in a function such as the conference of Nigerian Bar  Association, which mantra remains promoting the rule of law.

“We also hold that using persons such as the above-named  Obasanjo and  others as speakers on the platform of the Nigerian Bar Association is a huge disservice  to the original  intendment and core purpose of the Nigerian Bar Association  itself,  particularly  as regards the  campaign for supremacy of the concept of the rule of law and the sanctity of  judicial pronouncements.

“Balogun Obasanjo is known in Nigeria’s most recent history to have launched some of the most brutal assaults on the concept of  rule of law. Kindly recall that it was Obasanjo, sworn to uphold the Constitution of the land,  who refused to obey the Supreme Court order for the release of the N21 billion Lagos State Local Government funds illegally and oppressively withheld by his administration.  (Daily Sun)