The election of 50-year-old Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Bodunrin Daudu as the 25th President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) last week has demonstrated that about 1, 215 accredited delegates’ drawn from 88 branches of the association, who voted at the conference believe in the imperative of credible elections in the country’s renascent democracy. Asst. Law Editor, Francis Famoroti, who attended the conference, reports that the democratic process was hitch-free save for some minor lapses.


FOR Nigerian lawyers, the emergence last week of Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as the 25th President of the Nigerian Bar Association will usher in a new leadership direction at the bar in the next two years.
Daudu in his post-election speech while accepting the mandate bestowed on him and other newly elected officers, assured that he would give the bar a new leadership capable of regulating the political barometer in the country.
He said” I must start with a note of gratitude to God Almighty for giving us the opportunity to collectively engage in this democratic process and come out successfully. The process has worked and I declare here that there is no victor, no vanquished.”
Interestingly, lawyers who appraised the outgoing Executive Committee (EXCO) of the NBA at the two-day delegates’ conference, which began on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, maintained that although the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led team had provided good leadership since it assumed office two years ago, there was the need for the incoming officers to reposition the bar and also mend strained relationships between the inner and outer bar. .

Setting the tone of the conference, the outgoing President formally gave the delegates and observers a warm welcome and thereafter reminded them that the constitution of the NBA was amended at the 2009 Annual Conference held in Lagos, to provide for election of national officers, at the delegates conference to be held in July ever year, prior to the annual general conference in August.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) co-chairs, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) and Mrs. Funmi Roberts, also assured the delegates that the goal of the LOC was to ensure that the conference being the first of its kind in the history of the bar would set the pace for others to ‘beat’.
When eventually the manifesto night began, the chairman, NBA electoral committee, Chief Obi Okwusogu (SAN) invited all the contestants seeking elective offices to the podium and requested them one after the other to address the delegates.
Those vying for the offices of assistant Financial and Publicity Secretaries were the first set of candidates to address the gathering and later other contestants, the welfare officer, the Publicity, Financial secretaries, treasurer, legal adviser, and the General Secretary.
Those contesting the offices of 3rd, 2nd and 1st Vice-President were called and subsequently, the candidates for the office of the President.
The candidates are as follows; for the position of President, Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) and Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama (SAN). Those who vied for the office of the 1st Vice President are, Ukiri Blessing Emonena, Foluso Fayokun, Adekunle Ojo and Ndionyenma Nwankwo. For the office of the 2nd Vice President , the candidates were, Irabor Osas Justy, Udobong Ini-Abasi Thomas and Dare Akande while, the three contestants to the office of the Gen Secretary are, Nurudeen Alowonle Ogbara, Olumuyiwa Akinboro and Edward Ayigbagbe. Others who sought to contest the offices of the Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser, National Publicity Secretary, Welfare Officer, 1st Assistant Secretary, 2nd Assistant Secretary, Assistant Publicity Secretary and Assistant Financial Secretary were the first to address the delegates.
After they had addressed the delegates, the candidates for the offices of General Secretary and those for the positions of 3rd , 2nd and 1st Vice-Presidents were called one after the other.

As the chairman of the NBA electoral committee stepped forward to invite the candidates for the President, there was a thunderous ovation in the expansive Felicia Hall, Jogor Centre, Ibadan, venue of the manifesto night.
Indeed, Daudu was the first to be invited to address the gathering. As he stepped out with his intimidating frame, shouts of J.B rented the air.
After collecting the microphone, he said “ My name is Joseph Bodunrin Daudu. I am from Kaduna branch of the NBA. I apologized that I could not visit all the 88 branches. I have been able to circulate my brochure and I think I visited about 66 branches, for branches I could not reach; the details of my mission are contained in my brochure, “The Visionary”. I offer myself to serve. This is not my first attempt. In my first attempt at the NBA presidency in 2004, I came second and now I man offering myself to serve again. This shows me as a consummate bar man. We all know Nigeria is at a crossroad now and I also recognize that the bar is conscience of the nation. The bar must be prepared to serve the nation as its conscience. We need a virile bar that can regulate the political barometer in the country.
In that respect, you need a leader that is courageous, a leader that has integrity, and finally a leader that will lead the bar to the promise land.
“My theme is looking inward. I believe that past presidents have done well and I intend to continue from how far they had taken the bar. I will make sure the NBA will be the guiding lights in terms of the rule of law, democratic governance and respect for fundamental human rights.”
Daudu pledged to ensure the resuscitation of the Continuing Legal Education in Nigeria and also improve the welfare of old lawyers and the plight of the new wigs in the country.
He also promised to encourage specialization among lawyers so as to gain entry into beneficial areas of practice not adverted to.
Immediately the NBA electoral committee stopped him for having exhausted his time-limit, scores of delegates applauded him with standing ovation until he returned to his seat.

The committee thereafter invited Gadzama to address the delegates. As it happened when Daudu approached the podium, prolonged rounds of applause restrained him for a couple of seconds from beginning his address.
Addressing the delegates, Gadzama said “My name is Chief Joe-Kyari-Gadzama. I am 49 years old. I pay my respect to my President, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, whose courage knows no bounds, and whose courage I shall sustain if elected into office as President of the NBA. I pay my respect to my fellow colleagues and junior colleagues.
I was called to the bar in 1986. I hail from Lassa, a small town in Borno State in the North Eastern Nigeria. This a region that is yet to produce the NBA President out of the 24 Presidents the NBA has produced.
“I am seeking your support to lead the bar and I will provide exemplary and visionary leadership. I shall ensure the independence of the bar. I shall ensure deserving colleagues, men of integrity are appointed to the bench as being done in the times past.”
Gadzama pledged to put in place scheme that would enable members of the NBA to agree on the best standard for the emolument and remuneration of young lawyers.

He promised to pursue vigorously and encourage the professional development of lawyers in the country.
He stressed the need to overhaul the justice sector reform and assured that if elected to lead the bar, he would introduce measures to remedy the apparent shortcomings.
Gadzama said “A vote for me is a vote for integrity. A vote for me is a vote for courage, a vote for me is a vote for rule of law, a vote for me is a vote for public interest litigation, a vote for me is vote good governance.
I am ready to serve selflessly. I am the next President of NBA and I shall claim it. Elect me and I will take you to the promise land. My vote is my vote. I rest my case.”
The delegates also applauded him with standing ovation until he took his seat. The NBA electoral committee chairman then thanked all the candidates, delegates and observers and he reminded them that voting would commence on Thursday, Day two of the conference at 9.30 a.m and end at 2.00 p.m. Shortly after the manifesto night, the delegates were hosted at a dinner by the Oyo State Government. The state Governor, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala was conspicuously absent at the dinner and was represented by his deputy, Taofeek Arapaja.
On hand to deliver an after-dinner speech was the Cross River State Governor, Mr. Liyel Imoke.
In his keynote address titled: Imperative of Credible Elections in our Nascent Democracy: he highlighted seven imperatives of democracy.
Immediately the delegates left the conference venue, a number of them headed for the Presidential party hosted by the outgoing NBA leader, Mr. Akeredolu at Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
On the second day of the conference, though the organizers said accreditation would continue by 9.00 a.m and voting would begin at 9.30 a.m, the timing was not adhered due to few inadequacies in the logistics put in place by the electoral committee and the LOC.
For the members of Body of Benchers and SANs, who came to vote, they were accorded precedence as they hardly experienced delays in entering the voting hall.

But hundreds of other lawyers had to stand idly for about two hours under the scorching sun before the organizers could fine-tune the voting arrangements.
The voting was expected to end by 2.30 p.m, it was however extended to about 6.30 p.m to enable all delegates to cast their votes.
The sorting of the ballot papers and counting by the electoral committee in the presence of the agents thereafter followed and this ended at 11. 15 p.m.
By 11.10 p.m, news filtered to the delegates and observers that Daudu had won the election. Even as the election result was yet to be announced, members of the Daudu campaign committee wore smiling faces while uneasy situation enveloped Gadzama’s camp.
As the chairman, NBA stepped forward to announce the results, tension rose in the hall.
Akeredolu quickly embraced Daudu even as Okwusogu told the gathering that he was yet to officially declare the election results.
However, the electoral committee eventually announced the results as follows;
For the NBA Presidential election: J.B Daudu had 718 votes while J.K Gadzama had 487 votes. Blessing Ukiri emerged the 1st Vice President with 438 votes by beating two other contestants, Adekunle Ojo -467 votes and Ndioyema Nwankwo- 248 votes.
Osas Justy Erhabor became the 2nd Vice-President elect with 447 votes, defeating Udobong Ini-Abasi Thomas, who had 420 and Dare Akande with 323 votes respectively.
Dr. Ogugwa Ikpeze won the 3rd Vice-Presidency election with 691 votes by beating Bode Makinde who had 503 votes. Mr. Olumuyiwa Akinboro won the contest for the office of the General Secretary with 699 votes when he defeated Nurudeen Ogbara who had 312 votes and Edward Aibamgbee -312 votes.
Other elected officers are; Olufumilayo Oluyede as the Treasurer; Adekunle Ajasa, Financial Secretary; Sule Usman, Welfare Officer; Emeka Ubegolu, Publicity Secretary;
Victor Nwaugo, Legal Adviser; S.T Abar, 1st Assistant Secretary;, Paul Ebiala, 2nd Assistant Secretary; Chinwe Nwadike; Assistant Financial Secretary; and Augustine Obi-Afam who was elected unopposed as the Assistant Publicity Secretary.
Immediately, the chairman, electoral committee declared the results at 11.15 p.m, a large ovation pervaded the hall as some delegates and supporters milled round Daudu.
Having announced the results, Okwusogu handed over Akeredolu, who expressed his satisfaction with peaceful conduct of all the candidates, their supporters and the delegates. He invited all the successful candidates to the podium and specially asked Gadzama to join them at the podium.
As soon as they were seated, Gadzama was asked to make his comments on the outcome of the election. In a terse voice, he said” I do not intend to bore you with a long speech. I want to say congratulations to my brother, friend, namesake, and a jolly good fellow. The process of the election is transparent and credible and I give glory to God. I thank the members of the LOC and everyone. Congratulations my good brother.”
Having accepted the verdict, it was Daudu’s turn to give his post-election speech.
He said” I must start with a note of gratitude to God Almighty for giving us the opportunity collectively to engage in this democratic process and come out successfully.
The process has worked and I declare here there is no victor, no vanquished.
We are just Exco members-elect and there is still the President and his Exco in place.
We must allow the Exco to hand over to us in Kaduna before our tenure begins. I on behalf of the new Exco accept the mandate which is to commence in August. This process is a worthy example for the larger Nigerian society. I want to thank the closest person to me, my wife. I thank the entire members of the bar. I urge us all to reflect on the times ahead and I use this opportunity to thank you all.”
There is no doubt that Daudu has an impeccable pedigree having been called to bar at the tender age of 20 on July 19, 1980 and elevated to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria at the age of 35 in 1995.
Born on December 27, 1959 in Ibadan, he hails from Mangogo in Ogori-Mangogo Local Government Area of Kogi State. He studied law at Ahmadu Bello University and obtained his LL.B Hons in 1979. He attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the bar in 1980. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration from Keble College, Oxford University, United Kingdom. He is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. As Daudu and his co-officers-elect prepare to take over the mantle of leadership, it is hoped that they will fulfill their mission to serve, lead the bar to a glorious dawn and implement the J.B Daudu three-point mission statement contained in the visionary brochure.