BY INNOCENT ANABA

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, yesterday, called for the retention of the zoning formula in the election of national officers of the association.

He insisted that though zoning was not in the NBA’s constitution and since the arrangement had been accepted by all, it was the turn of the South West to produce the next president to take over from Mr. Okey Wali, SAN, whose tenure expires in August this year.

He said “I regret that the 2014 NBA Presidential election is getting out of hand and I fear there will be dire consequences. We must not allow the elections become a “do or die” matter. We are not politicians. That is why when I was President, I adopted the inclusion policy, so that all zones have the opportunity to produce the President.

“We all know that by the zoning convention, it is the turn of the South West region to produce our president. I appreciate the concern and disappointment of the Mid-west that it has not been included in our zoning arrangement. This is why when I was President, I set up the inclusion committee to review this at our National Executive Council, NEC meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State, but unfortunately this has not materialised.”