By  INNOCENT ANABA

The Mid-West Bar Forum of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has called on former President of the association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, to stop crying louder than the bereaved, over his stance that it was the turn of the West to produce the next president of the association, the Forum insisted that the core West and Mid-West make up the West.

*Agbakoba

Agbakoba had, in a statement on Monday, said that it was the turn of the West, which translates to the core West, to produce the next president of the NBA to the exclusion of the Mid-West, as he called for the zoning adopted by the association to be respected.

However, Mid-West Bar in a statement by its chairman, Chief Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, said: “Our attention has been drawn to the letter purportedly written by Agbakoba. We would not want to believe that the letter under reference was indeed written by Agbakoba.

Our disbelief stems from the fact that at a meeting held in March, 2012 to address the legitimate demands and aspiration of the Midwest Bar Forum for the NBA presidential slot, Agbakoba submitted a written position wherein he clearly stated that for the purpose of the zoning of the NBA presidency, both the Mid-West Bar Forum and Egbe Amofin belong to the West.

The meeting was presided over by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, the then president of the NBA and the prominent and respected leaders that attended included Chief T. Okpoko, SAN, and Chief Bamidele Aiku, SAN, who represented the Mid-West Bar Forum and the Egbe Amofin, respectively.

“In fact, it is unthinkable that a man of his status would turn around to take a contrary position because of his support for a particular candidate and the exigencies of the present election.

It is important to note that there is no South-West in the informal zoning configuaration of the NBA as far as the office of the presidency is concerned. For the avoidance of doubt, the three recognised zones are North, East and West (i.e Egbe Amofin and Midwest).

“In the unlikely event that the letter under reference was indeed written by Agbakoba, there is need to remind him that a decision had already be taken by the leaders and elders of the Bar at the aforesaid meeting in Abuja, in March, 2012.

At the meeting, the NBA 2014 presidency was zoned to the West, thus leaving the door open for any member of the Midwest Bar Forum or Egbe Amofin to contest the election. The South-West-(Egbe Amofin) and the Mid-West Bar Forum have since moved beyond Agbakoba’s partisan position.”