The Sokoto and Kebbi States chapters of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have pulled out of the national conference of the association taking place in Abuja.
Daily Trust learnt that the action was taken after the conference tagged, “NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) Conference 2022,” earlier scheduled to take place in Sokoto was moved to Abuja.
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In their separate letters to the national president of NBA, the two states demanded a refund of the registration fees of their members totalling N1,865,000.
It would be recalled that the NBA had earlier cancelled the conference on grounds of insecurity in Sokoto.
The Sokoto chapter in its own letter said the eventual decision to move the conference to Abuja came as a big shock and disappointment to all its members.
“While we concede that it is within the absolute discretion of the (NBA) president in consultations with the chairman of the section to select where the SPIDEL Conference will take place, but we hold the view that no member of the association shall be compelled or coerced to register or attend the SPIDEL conference against his wish,” the letter said.
The Sokoto chapter argued that Abuja was equally not secured in view of the recent attacks on Kuje Correctional Centre, Brigade of Guards, Zuma Rock and the law school.
“Abuja is no more secure than Sokoto was at the time of the postponement and subsequent cancellation of the Sokoto conference. Moreover, our members and members of sister branches in the North are at peril in journeying down to Abuja for the conference,” it said.
Corroborating, the Kebbi State Chairman of NBA, Hudu Garba, who spoke to our reporter on phone, held that his members would not take the risk of travelling to Abuja.
Daily Trust learnt that while the Sokoto chapter paid N1,481,000 for its members, 38 members paid N384,000 registration fees in Kebbi.
But reacting, the President of SPIDEL, Monday Ubani, said the idea of a refund would not arise as the conference was already on in Abuja with over 700 lawyers in attendance.
He said SPIDEL was considering Sokoto to host the next edition, maintaining that the governor (Aminu Tambuwal)’s lack of confirmation on whether or not to proceed with the conference following the crisis and the need to hold the event before the expiration of Akpata’s tenure compelled the body to host it in Abuja.
“Are we going to refund all the lawyers who bought tickets to attend the Sokoto SPIDEL? Do you know how much we spent planning for the Sokoto conference before what happened?”
“Any money paid into SPIDEL was by individual lawyers, not a whole state,” Ubani added.
From Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto) & John Chuks Azu (Abuja)
