The Midwest Bar Forum is not unaware of the purported adoption of candidates for the forthcoming national officers elections by a group of persons under the name of the Forum.
It is expedient to state that the so called “adoption” should be denounced in categorical terms and did not emanate from the authentic leadership of the Forum.
It is undisputed that the Forum is currently segmented with the main one led by Prof. N.A. Inegbedion, PhD under the overall leadership of Chief Omonigho Okpoko, SAN.
This Forum had its quarterly meeting on 18th June 2022 and appraised the cleared candidates for the elections. The Forum declined to openly endorse any candidates for the elections and chose to work with anyone of them who the Forum identifies will best serve the interests of the NBA and the region.
With respect to the candidates for the General Secretary, the Forum noted that three candidates from the Midwest were aspiring for that position and observed that given all the resources they had deployed into the campaign and being sons of the Midwest, it would be unjust to adopt any one of them as the candidate of the Midwest and urged members to vote for anyone of them they feel is the most competent.
Though we are not holding brief for any of the candidates for the office of the President, we condemn in very strong terms the attempt to denigrate one of the candidates for the office of the President simply because he declined the endorsement of a group of persons who claim to be representing the Forum.
The question must be asked: If you believe in the competence of a person for an office, over and above all other persons and you openly endorsed him for that office, does that person cease to be so competent because he declined your endorsement so as to warrant another open endorsement of another candidate? Given that scenario, conventional wisdom dictates that you let matters be. In any case, it is not in the place of any group of persons to pick and choose who to recognize for the elections as done by this group of persons. That is the responsibility of the election management body, in this case, the Electoral Commmitee of the NBA which has duly cleared three candidates for the elections namely and in no particular order: YC Maikyau SAN, Jk Gadzama SAN and Jonathan Taidi. We wish them well in their campaigns.
It is important to clear the air so that the unwary will not be misled.
Signed: Prof.N.A. Inegbedion, PhD Chairman Midwest Bar Forum
H.O. BAZUAYE, Esq(MIDWESTERNER) Publicity Secretary Midwest Bar Forum
CC CHIEF T.J. ONOMIGBO OKPOKO OON (SAN) (FCIARB) Leader Midwest Bar Forum & Past National President NBA
Prof. A.A. Utuama,SAN Albert Akpomudje,SAN Augustine Aleghe, SAN(Past National President, NBA) Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan,SAN Chief Ferdinand Orbih,SAN Ama Etuwewe,SAN Ayo Asala,SAN Aikhunegbe Anthony Malik, SAN Ogaga Ovrawah,SAN
