Despite the pendency of a suit challenging her suspension as the General Secretary, the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-NEC) Sunday ratified the action against
Mrs Joyce Oduah at the ongoing NBA-NEC meeting taking place on the sidelines of the NBA Annual Conference taking place at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos.
It would be recalled that on Monday 15th August 2022, the National Executive Committee, during an emergency meeting, citing Section 9(6)(d) of the NBA Constitution, suspended the General Secretary pending ratification by the NBA-NEC.
In the resolution passed by the National Executive Committee, the NBA-NEC was also invited to investigate the actions of the suspended General Secretary and possibly remove her from office.
At the ongoing NBA-NEC meeting, the NBA-NEC considered the wise counsel of the elders of the Bar including past Presidents and Senior Advocates of Nigeria on the need to protect the unity of the Bar and the glorious legacies of the Olumide Akpata administration and resolved that the suspension be ratified.
Joyce Oduah, therefore, stands suspended as General Secretary, Uche Nwadialo’s appointment as Acting General Secretary is ratified and the petition for her removal stayed in view of the pendency of the action in court.
Eighteen-Eleven Media, at the weekend, published a letter addressed to NBA-NEC by Murtala Abdul-Rasheed (SAN) of Murtala Abdul -Rasheed, SAN & Co. (Murray Chambers), counsel to Mrs. Oduah. In the letter, she urged that all steps be taken by the NEC to ensure the pending litigation and proceedings of the Honourable Court are respected.
She also asked that all parties to the pending litigation respect the rule of law and desist from taking any steps, action(s), move motion(s) and/or pass a resolution(s) and/or not doing anything capable of jeopardizing and/or disrespecting the pending proceedings before the Honourable Court; and that the subject matter of the pending litigation, which is now caught by the doctrine of les pendens, is not discussed, put to vote, motion(s), resolution(s) and/or decided upon by the NEC;