Two lawyers in Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association have written to the Chairman of the branch,Mr Dele Oloke to challenge the appointment of Mr Chibuzor Aguocha and Mary Eluwa into the election committee tasked with conducting the 30th June branch elections.
The Grundnorm obtained the letter by the two lawyers. Mr Tope Alabi Esq in his letter dated the 19th of May 2020 stated that Mr Aguocha is a caucus supporter of Mr Akeem Aponmade who is a Chairmanship candidate in the election.
Mr Alabi also reminded the chair that at the time of making the appointment,Mr Batholowew Aguegbodo raised an objection to the inclusion of Mr Chibuzor in the committee but the chairman ignored it.
Mr Alabi alleged that Mr Chibuzor and Mary Eluwa who serve as the Secretary of the committee belong to G6, a group of Partisan members of Ikeja branch who are supporting Mr Aponmade.
He also alleged that the two members have attended meetings and participated in the process that produced Mr Aponmade as a Chairmanship candidate.
He urged the chairman,Dele Oloke to reverse the appointment of the two.
The Grundnorm also obtained another letter to the Chairman,Dele Oloke by Adeniyi Quadri,a member of the branch. Mr Quadri in his letter called for the sack of Mr Aguocha for his involvement as a caucus member of one of the Chairmanship aspirant’s campaign team. He stated that an election umpire must not only be partial but must be seen as being partial.
He cited the dictum in the case of INEC V Adeleke to support the sack of Mr Aguocha.
He alleged that Mr Aguocha has participated and chaired strategy meetings aimed at delivering one of the Chairmanship candidates.
The screen shots of Mr Aguocha’s interventions in a caucus whatsapp group named “NBA Ikeja 2020 Project” aimed at delivering one of the candidates at the polls were also obtained by The Grundnorm.
Many members of the branch are suspecting that there is a grand plan to disqualify a top contender in the election to pave way for a preferred candidate.
Whether that will be possible remains unsure.
Courtroom Mail, an international law community media organisation reported that they spoke with the Chairman of NBA Ikeja,Mr Dele Oloke at 8:05am this morning and he confirmed that there are indeed agitations from some members of the branch. He told Courtroom Mail that he has also scheduled a meeting to look into the merit of the claim and resolve the issue in the best interest of the branch and the elections.
Dele Oloke has built a good reputation as the Chair of the branch and many members of the branch believe that Mr Oloke will do the right thing to ensure transparency and trust in the election process.