WHO WILL BECOME THE NEXT NBA PRESIDENT....

Mary Akanbi

30th June, 2022

Nigerian Lawyers are warming up across the country to elect the next President of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”). 

An elected NBA President will spend only two(2)years in office which is a non-renewable term. It is the turn of the North to produce the new NBA President. The office of the President is zoned to the Northern Bar.

The contenders in the front line are already warming up for the D-day which is on the 16th of July, 2022. The contenders for the post are Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama(SAN), Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau(SAN) and Jonathan Taidi Gunu.

.                  Jonathan Taidi Gunu

The three Candidates have been cleared by the Electoral Committee of the NBA, led by Ayo Akintunde, SAN, namely, Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama SAN; Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau SAN, and Jonathan Taidi Gun u.

While the contest in a way mimics the 2020 race, being amongst two Senior Advocates,  and a non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria, there are no indications that the upset of 2020 would be repeated. 

It is believed that the battle to become the next NBA President is between the two SANS.

.            Joe Kyari Gadzama

A greater percentage of Young Lawyers are in support of Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau(SAN) while a greater percentage of Senior Lawyers are in support of Joe Kyari Gadzama(SAN) emerging as the next NBA President.

The Nigerian lawyers most especially the Young Lawyers see Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau(SAN) as a breath of fresh air, a young man they can relate whereas Joe Kyari Gadzama would be contesting for the office for the third time.

.         Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau

Y.C Maikyau came into limelight as a young lawyer of about nine years post qualifying experience, providence thrust Maikyau on the National stage as a Counsel in the Human Rights Investigation Commission of Nigeria-Oputa Panel,  set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 as the country returned to democratic rule. A dozen year later, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. 

Having successfully achieved the NBA-NHIS scheme under his committee;Welfare Committee and him as the head of the Committee, the Young Lawyers believe he would prioritize their welfare when he emerges as the next NBA President.

As Olumide Akpata prepares to handover to a new person, the question on many lips is "WHO WILL BECOME THE NEXT NBA PRESIDENT"