The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has suspended Joyce Oduah, the National General Secretary of the body.
Joyce Oduah’s suspension is part of the resolutions of the meeting of the national Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association held on the 15th of August, 2022.
Her suspension followed according to an email sent to members on Monday, informing them of the resolution of the Executive Committee to suspend Ms. Oduah as General Secretary and signed by nine of its 11 members, was based on “weighty allegations against the General-Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah in particular, her acts of alleged disobedience to the President, the National Executive Council of the Association (NBA-NEC) and the National Executive Committee.”
The Executive Committee stated that, “At the end of the deliberations, the National Executive Committee by a unanimous decision, resolved to refer the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah to NBA-NEC for disciplinary action under the provisions of section 20(1) of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2021) and to recommend her removal from office for gross misconduct.”
The body also stated that the Assistant General-Secretary, Uchenna Nwadialo shall immediately act as the General Secretary pending the Pre-Conference meeting of the NBA-NEC scheduled to hold on Sunday 21st August 2022.
Full text of the statement
RESOLUTION OF THE MEETING OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION HELD ON MONDAY 15TH AUGUST 2022
“Following the receipt of a letter dated 14th August 2022, from 9 National Officers of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) calling on the President of the NBA, Mr. Olumide Akpata to call an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee, the meeting held on Monday 15th August 2022 by 8am with the following members in attendance:
1) Olumide Akpata – President
2) John Aikpokpo-Martins – 1st Vice-President
3) Debo Adeyemo Kazeem – 2nd Vice-President
4) Ombo Victor Frank-Briggs – 3rd Vice-President
5) Joyce Oduah – General-Secretary
6) Uchenna Nwadialo – Assistant General-Secretary
7) Mercy Ijato Agada – Treasurer
8) Raphael Nnamdi Anagor – Financial-Secretary
9) Olukunle Edun – Welfare-Secretary
10) Rapuluchukwu Nduka – Publicity-Secretary
11) Ferdinand Naza – Assistant Publicity-Secretary
“The meeting deliberated extensively on the content of the above referenced letter and the weighty allegations against the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah in particular her acts of alleged disobedience to the President, the National Executive Council of the Association (NBA-NEC) and the National Executive Committee
“Owing to the contents of the letters and statements issued by General Secretary and the disclaimer that the President issued, the NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata recused himself from the deliberations and handed over to the 1st Vice President, Mr. John Aikpokpo Martins to chair the meeting.
“At the end of the deliberations, the National Executive Committee by a unanimous decision, resolved to refer the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah to NBA-NEC for disciplinary action under the provisions of section 20(1) of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2021) and to recommend her removal from office for gross misconduct.
“In the meantime, however, in view of the critical importance of the Annual General Meeting which is scheduled to hold on 25th August 2022, and to prevent the General Secretary, Mrs Joyce Oduah from imperiling the Annual General Meeting, the Annual General Conference or the succession to the next administration by her unilateral and unauthorised communications purporting to be legitimate communications from the Association, the National Executive Committee has unanimously exercised its emergency powers under section 9(6) (d) of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2021) to suspend Mrs Joyce Oduah from office as the General Secretary of the Association with immediate effect pending the Pre-Conference meeting of the NBA-NEC scheduled to hold on Sunday 21st August 2022.
“The Assistant General Secretary, Ms. Uchenna Nwadialo shall immediately act as the General Secretary pending the PreConference meeting of the NBA-NEC scheduled to hold on Sunday 21st August 2022.
“All members of the Association are advised to continue their preparations for the forthcoming Annual General Conference.”
