By Innocent Anaba

An elder of the Arewa Lawyers Forum, ALF, and former Bauchi State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, has denied claims that the Forum had adopted a sole candidate in the person of Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), for the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, presidency.

Abubakar, a former Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Commissioner, in a statement, weekend said: “My attention has been drawn to media reports on  purported resolution of ALF. In the said communique, it was also stated that the ‘entire membership’ of the forum had resolved to adopt Joseph  Daudu, SAN as the sole candidate from the North, bearing in mind the fact that the post of President of the NBA had been zoned to the region.

“As someone who was present at the meeting and who took part in the deliberations, I read the said publications and wish to state that I experienced utter shock and dismay to put it mildly. Not only were facts distorted outrightly, the publications in the newspapers were also a fraudulent act.

“At the said meeting, the opinion of the majority of those present was that both Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, SAN and  Daudu, SAN should contest on a level playing ground and let the better candidate win. Those who were of the opinion that a sole candidate should be adopted, constituted not more 10% of the number of those present.”