By Innocent Anaba

EASTERN Bar Forum, EBF,  an umbrella association for lawyers in the 45 branches of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in the South East and South South geopolitical zones of the country has rejected ongoing efforts to amend the constitution of the NBA.

The NBA recently constituted a committee headed by Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, to review its constitution and bring it up to date to deal with contemporary issues. Consequently the committee sent out memos requesting its branches to send in memorandum on the amendments they desire in the new constitution.

The EBF at its meeting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, during its quarterly meeting stated that the timing and procedures for the amendment were not acceptable to the association and urged all branch chairmen, secretaries and members of EBF to shun such letters and for those who had responded, to it to retract such responses immediately.

The group agreed to write the NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, to convey its decision. Efforts by successive leadership of the NBA to amend its constitution have always met resistance. Former presidents of the association like J.B. Daudu, SAN; Okey Wali, SAN, all made serious efforts to amend the constitution with little or no remarkable successes.

Mr. Austine Alegeh, SAN, succeeded in effecting some amendments, which were later struck down by the courts for non-compliance with provisions of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC. How far the current efforts to amend the constitution will go, only time will tell.

Meanwhile, the EBF at the quarterly meeting honoured Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, who urged the members to maintain trust and unity in the association to enable them play their roles of giving direction to leaders of the region.

Governor Umahi spoke at the state banquet he organised for the Forum at the Government House, Abakaliki, where he was also honoured with an Excellent Performance Award by the lawyers group.

In his remarks, Chairman, Governing Council of the EBF, Chief Arthur Chukwu, assured Governor Umahi that the EBF will remain united and live up to expectations. The meeting was attended by Bar leaders from the zone and judges from the Ebonyi State Judiciary led by the State Chief Judge, Justice Aloy Nwankwor. Others are the First Vice-President of the NBA, Mr. Ben Oji who represented NBA President, Mr. Mahmoud, SAN; Second-Vice President of the NBA and Public analyst, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani; National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Mr. John Austin Unachukwu; First Assistant Secretary of the NBA Mr. Leo Okay Ohagba; Asst Publicity Secretary, Mr. Chuks Mbamali and many Senior Advocates of Nigeria from the zones including Chief Arthur Okafor, SAN, Nnamdi Ibegbu, SAN, N. A. Nnawuchi, SAN, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, SAN, Mr. Gerald Ezuko, SAN, former General Secretaries of the NBA, Chief Emeka Obegolu who is the Vice-President (West Africa) of the Pan African Lawyers Union, PALU and Mazi Afam Osigwe. Branch chairmen and secretaries of the 45 branches of the EBF and former national officers of the NBA from the zone and other zones across the country attended the meeting.