•Afam Osigwe (SAN)
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe (SAN), has assured that the association’s leadership has put in place the necessary measures to ensure a credible process for electing its new national officers.
Osigwe said those behind the election process have put all machinery in motion to ensure the election, scheduled to begin by midnight on July 18 and end at midnight on July 19, proceeds as planned, reports The Nation.
To ensure the process is transparent, the association has invited the Department of State Services (DSS), related institutions and even foreign bodies to monitor it.
The NBA President, who spoke in Abuja today, said the association has also made concessions to modify the voting process, even at an extra cost, to accommodate concerns raised by some members.
He said, “If you have read all that has been written, or listened to all that has been said, nobody has given you any reason as to why the election should not go on, or to question the integrity of the process.
“And, as I said, a concession was made to those who were opposing voting by email, because they claimed, without proof, that it is compromised.”
“In fact, we have been told that it may cost us up to N50 million to ensure that we get it right in sending the broadcast SMS to the phone numbers. And we are going to provide the funds, just to ensure that everybody has comfort that the right thing is being done.”
Osigwe faulted claims that he had preferred candidates and was working to manipulate the process.
Osigwe said, “Assuming without conceding that I have a preferred candidate, what has it got to do with the price of coffee? I am not the one conducting the election. I have nothing to do with the process. The process is independent. We make heavy weather out of things that are not logical, respectfully.”
Drawing a parallel with the country’s election process, Osigwe said that while the President of Nigeria is allowed to appoint election officials and still participate in the election, he is not participating in the NBA election.
He said, “I am not contesting for any office. I thought the allegation would be that Afam Osigwe is interfering with the electoral process; he is taking decisions, he’s not allowing them to do anything, he’s overbearing. In which case I will be called to account.
“Now, a body that says it is only their candidate or nobody else accusing a person of having a preferred candidate. I spoke with their leaders, and I said, if there is only one candidate, good luck.
“But, if there is more than one, you will not stop the electoral process. And, they went to court to insist that only their candidate would be. And now turning around to accuse me of trying to impose a candidate.”
Osigwe said his leadership of the NBA has made all efforts to accommodate those seeking to scuttle the election process by saying, “Whatever interests you present at the bar, we respect it. But we only say you must allow democracy to thrive. You cannot emasculate people.
“You can endorse your candidate if you choose, but the others must have the right to contest. And any effort to insist that it is only the person you have chosen that will run will be starkly resisted where there are persons who wish to run against you.”
Osigwe said those who wish to boycott the election are within their right to stay away, but must not try to scuttle the process.
He said, “If any person chooses to boycott the election, I cannot force the person to vote. But, I would wish that we don’t get down that road. But if any person chooses to stay away, that would be within their rights.
“And, I can’t stop them, and I can’t force any person to vote. But if anybody does that, which would be because he has chosen, not because there is any reason for him or her to boycott the process, because no tangible reason has been given.”
Osigwe said he has even volunteered not to vote for himself to show that he is not biased and not interested in manipulating the process.
He said, “I have now said I will no longer vote. If that will give them comfort. I will no longer vote. If that will give them comfort.
“And I ask again, assuming I have a preferred candidate, and there are 2,000 voters, what can I possibly do? I force them to vote for somebody?”
