By Onozure Dania

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has urged members of the Eastern Bar Forum, EBF, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to remain united in order to achieve their objectives and meaningful  development for  the South-East and South- South geo-political zones.

Wike stated this while declaring open the quarterly meeting of the EBF in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Gov Wike

He said: “Unity in the EBF is very necessary. From what I have seen in this country, you have no option but to remain united. Even if you are cheated, remain united because unity is the key for you to achieve whatever you want to achieve. Please whatever you are doing, speak with one voice, whatever it takes, take decisions that will help you though it may not be comfortable for everybody.

“They speak of colony. Well, I don’t know what that means, I have not seen it before. We have a lot of environment problems here. We have pollution, we have no grass here,  so if the cows drink our water, they will die. We have the Atlantic Ocean here. If they like they can lay pipes and take the water to wherever they like, but for colony, no, I don’t know what that is. They say that if you speak, you die, if you don’t speak  you die. So why not speak and die. After all, those who don’t speak die early,” Wike stated.

The meeting endorsed candidates for the forthcoming NBA elections. The endorsed candidates include: Chief Arthur Obi Okafor for the position of NBA President,  Stanley Chidi Imo, for First  Vice-President,  Sabastine Anya for Welfare Secretary, Uju Mary Chukwuma-Okafor for  Treasurer,   Emeka Anosike, Financial Secretary,  Mr. Seth Nwokolo for the office of Assistant Publicity Secretary and Mr Nnamdi Eze for Legal Adviser.

The candidates emerged after the screening exercise conducted by the Forum’s Screening Committee.

comprising of all the members of the Governing Council of the association, branch chairmen and secretaries of all EBF branches, all SANs  from the EBF States, all national officers of the NBA from the EBF zone, in compliance with Article 11 of its Constitution. This was subsequently approved by the General Meeting of the EBF attended by all members of the Forum.

The screening exercise was witnessed by the First-Vice President of the NBA, Mr. Caleb Dajan who represented the NBA President, A.B. Mahmoud,  SAN, Third Vice-President of the NBA, Mr. Ben Oji, Welfare Secretary of the NBA, Mr. Adesina Adegbite, Vice-chairman of Arewa Lawyers Forum Mr. Garba Pwu, SAN, who led a team of Arewa Lawyers to the event representing the Chairman of Arewa Lawyers Forum Mr. M.A. Abubakar who is now the Governor of Bauchi State, Dr. Garba Tetengi, SAN, a Bencher from the Zone,  Lady Debby Obodoukwu,  Secretary of South West Lawyers, Egbe- Aomfin,  Mr. Ranti Ajeleti who led a very strong delegation from the South west lawyers to the event including two former chairmen of Lagos branch NBA,  Reuben Muoka, Martins Oguleye, former chairman NBA Ikeja branch Mr. Yinka Faronbi, chairman Progressives Bar Forum, Mr. Dare Akande  and a delegation of the Mid-West Bar Forum led its publicity Secretary, Mr. Alex I. Obade. Olisa

National officers of the NBA of EBF extraction present at the event include: The Second Vice-President of the NBA, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, First Assistant Secretary Mr. Leo Okey Ohagba, Financial Secretary, Mrs Ngozi Udodi, national Publicity Secretary, John Austin Unachukwu, Second Assistant Secretary, Ms Cecilia Ugbuji and Assistant Financial Secretary, Mrs Dorcas Ngwu.