By Innocent Anaba

THE Arewa Lawyers  Forum, ALF, sev  en-man Screening Committee set up to  screen candidates for the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, elections in July, in Kaduna, Kaduna State,  recommended the former Chairman of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, SPIDEL,  Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN,  for adoption as the forum’s  Presidential candidate in the election

From left: Mr. Francis Dan Kozah; Secretary, Mr. Garungabas; Chairman, and Bauchi State Governor, M. A. Abubakar, and Vice Chairman, Mr. Garba Pwul (SAN), all of Arewa, at the meeting.

Presenting the report,  Chairman of the Selection Committee, Mr. Garuba Pwul, SAN, said that  the terms of reference of the committee to include

“The  screening  members of the Forum who intend to contest for the various  positions in the 2016 NBA elections; to advise the Forum as to the most preferred candidates to be supported by the Forum for the elections and to take all other steps as may be required to give effect to the above objectives

“The committee immediately held its inaugural meeting on October 30, 2015, where it developed a module with which  to  carry out its mandate, the committee resolved to invite written submissions from the persons who had earlier submitted  their letters of expression  of interest to the forum,  to state the reasons why each of them should be the preferred candidate to be supported by  ALF. The committee also resolved to clear candidates whose positions were not  being  contested  by  any member of the Forum and who will satisfy the guidelines of the NBA Electoral committee

“The Committee arrived at its decisions  after considering the commitment of the candidates to the cause of Arewa Lawyers Forum, their commitments, contributions,  and participation in the affairs of the NBA, their seniority at the Bar and their overall acceptability to  members  across the country and other for the election.

“Consequently, the committee adopted candidates as follows: Mr. Garba Abubakar for Asst. Publicity Secretary; Saidu Abubakar for the office  of Publicity Secretary; T.T. Igba for Welfare Secretary; Aisha Ado Abdullahi for Treasurer; Ibrahim Aliyu Nasarawa for the office of First Vice-President and Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN  for the office of NBA President.”

At that, A B. Mahmoud, SAN,stood up and  rejected  the adoption, stating that ALF should tread with caution to avoid laying  a  foundation for what is not right.

Honourabletreatment

He said: “I have been a lawyer for 33 years and have  built a reputation for myself.  I have  been discussing this election matter with Chief J-K Gadzama  and two of  us  are very close, therefore, I will not be bound by  the outcome of a process that is not transparent  and I deserve to be treated with honour.

“I received  the  notice of  last October meeting of the ALF in which the Screening Committee was set up by 12 noon, so I  went to  the meeting  late after  this  screening committee had been set up,  the committee assessed me solely on the basis of the documents  which I submitted to  them  without further interaction with  me,  therefore I suggest  that a committee of elders of ALF be set up to resolve this  issue.”

But the Chairman of ALF  who is also the Governor of Bauchi State, M. A. Abubakar  told him that the  time to fix a meeting of any group was  a process that can be decided at any time by the executives.

Gadzama on his part, said: “It is true that Mr. Mahmoud and I have been talking on this issue, we are brothers,  very close and have come a long way. But I am surprised at his comments about the October meeting of ALF  in Bauchi which all of us attended. We signed the attendance register, shook hands and also took group photographs after the meeting which were published in the dailies. I have copies here with me.

“He never complained about the constitution of the Screening Committee, the processes  or expressed any doubts on the outcome of its deliberations. All of us spoke at that meeting and agreed to be bound by the results of the screening exercise. Before that meeting, we had submitted our letters of intent to contest the election, then we were asked to submit the reasons why each of us thought we should be adopted by ALF for the election, Mr. Mahmoud submitted and I submitted, nobody raised any issue or objection

“We have never witnessed this in Arewa, last time, Mr. J. B. Daudu, SAN and I sat down for hours in my Abuja house while a group of 11 Arewa  elders took a  decision  on our behalf. I have said it times without number, that  I am bound by any decision taken by this house, I am bound by it whether it favours me or not.

“Let us remain together, it is better for us, I and Mahmoud are friends. I had invited him  to my house,  though he is yet to invite me to his house and anytime he invites me, I will go. I know that even in arbitration, parties may decide to have a document only arbitration. You can mediate for parties through document only   and the result will  bind them, it will be  acceptable and binding. The path to take now is to take the path of  caution and the parameters have been set,” he said.

The meeting resolved that a committee of seven members  Elders Council  should be formed to resolve the issue, that each of the gladiators;  Gadzama and Mahmoud should  each nominate three members  and the exco will nominate a member who should double as  Chairman of  the Elders Council