For the second time in 48 hours, lawyers threw caution to the wind as they went riotous over collection of bags and other conference materials.
The incident, this time around, happened at BWC Hotel, opposite Eko Atlantic, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, venue of Annual General Conference (AGC) of the association.
While the Annual General Meeting(AGM) was on-going, lawyers thronged BWC Hotel and grounded its services.
A bewildered President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata informed the meeting of the matter while also expressing disgust over the conduct of the lawyers on the development.
He said: “Lawyers have taken over BWC Hotel. Lawyers are sitting on the tables and desks of the hotel.
“It has become impossible for the hotel to conduct their businesses.”
Owing to the development, Akpata sought and got the permission of other lawyers at the AGM and quickly dispatched the First Vice President of the association, John Aikpokpo-Martins to BWC Hotel, to join officials in-charge of distribution of conference materials to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, the NBA has stepped down its proposed constitution amendments.
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The decision was taken at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association at the Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island.
Akpata had earlier told the meeting that there are many areas of the NBA constitution in need of amendments.
He expressed regret that the meeting would not proceed with the amendments to the constitution.
“As ministers in the temple of justice, I proposed that we step down constitution amendments”, he said.
He thereafter asked for a voice vote on the issue and the lawyers replied tulmutuosly ‘ayes’.
There was no dissenting opinion on the issue.
The Nation however gathered that the decision to suspend constitution amendments followed the decision of a Federal High Court, Abuja which set aside the suspension of the General Secretary Mrs Joyce Odua.
In response to the order of the court, the NBA filed an application at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to restrain Mrs Oduah from giving effect to the Federal High Court order which reversed the NBA-NEC’s ratification of her suspension.
Along with its Notice of Appeal, the NBA also filed an injunction, pending appeal, suspending the effect of or any actions or steps that may give effect to the court order under appeal at the appellate court.
The NBA through its lawyers had argued that the lower court, in reaching its decision, erred by failing to take into account the reliefs sought in Oduah’s originating summons in making a determination as to whether the ratification alters the subject-matter of the proceedings.
A source within the NBA-NEC told The Nation that the suspension of Mrs Odua stands until determination of all applications in court filed by the two sides, particularly, the decision of the Appeal Court in the matter.