NBA suspends general secretary Joyce Oduah

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has suspended its general secretary, Joyce Oduah, over allegations of “gross misconduct”.

The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the association's national executive committee on Monday morning.

Ms. Oduah and 10 other committee members, including NBA President Olumide Akpata, attended the meeting, according to a copy of the "final resolution" released at the end of Monday's meeting.

The meeting was chaired by 1st Vice President John Aikpokpo Martins, with NBA President Mr. Akpata stepping down voluntarily to play the role.

With the exception of Mr. Akpata and Ms. Oduah, nine members present signed the resolution suspending the Secretary-General.

The nine members of the committee who signed the resolution had, in a letter dated August 9 and addressed to Mr. Akpata, convened the emergency meeting to address the recent actions recently taken by Ms. Oduah.

The main of the allegations brought against her was her recent unilateral withdrawal of the notices of modification of the statutes of the association. The amendment to the constitution, per the previous notices, was to be considered at the association's Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was due to begin on August 19 in Lagos.

NBA President Akpata had issued a disclaimer on Friday rescinding the withdrawal of the Constitutional Amendment Notices.

Coming out of its emergency meeting on Monday, the National Executive Committee passed the resolution suspending Ms. Oduah from her duties as General Secretary.

The decision was based on the need to ensure a smooth general meeting "and to prevent the general secretary, Ms. Joyce Oduah, from jeopardizing the annual general meeting."

“…The National Executive Committee unanimously exercised its emergency powers under Section 9(6)(d) of the 2015 NBA Constitution (as amended in 2021) to suspend Ms. Joyce Oduah from her position as General Secretary of the Association effective immediately pending the NBA-NEC pre-conference meeting scheduled for Sunday, August 21, 2022,” the resolution read in part.

In her place, Deputy General Secretary Uchenna Nwadialo was asked to “act immediately as General Secretary pending the NBA-NEC pre-conference meeting…”

The resolution urges NBA members “to continue their preparations for the upcoming Annual General Conference.”

During the emergency meeting, it was revealed in the resolution that NBA leadership deliberated at length over Ms. Oduah's acts of alleged disobedience toward Mr. Akpata and the NBA-NEC.

Due to Mr. Akpata and Ms. Oduah's earlier disagreement which resulted in the disclaimer, "Mr. Olumide Akpata withdrew from the deliberations and gave way to the 1st Vice President, John Aikpokpo Martins, to chair the meeting."

“At the conclusion of the deliberations, the National Executive Committee, by a unanimous decision, has decided to refer the General Secretary, Ms. Joyce Oduah, to the NBA-NEC for disciplinary action under the provisions of Article 20 (1) of the 2015 NBA Constitution. (as amended in 2021) and to recommend his removal for gross misconduct. »

An internal memo from National Officers to Mr. Akpata dated August 14 lists several allegations of "gross misconduct" against Ms. Oduah.

The memo served as the basis for the NBA's emergency meeting where Ms. Oduah's transgressions were at the top of the agenda.

Titled “Urgent Action Needed to Prevent a Crisis in the NBA,” the memo accused the suspended general secretary of being “an obstacle to the proper administration of the Association through various acts of dereliction of duty, disobeying lawful orders, misbehaving, and engaging in acts and behaviors that are likely to, and did, bring the Association into disrepute."

She has been accused of not having the "appropriate temperament" expected of her position as general secretary.

"Ms. Oduah has throughout this administration exhibited a domineering, rude, disrespectful and obstructive attitude which has greatly affected morale and the working atmosphere at the National Secretariat."

The memo cited a case where Ms. Oduah "physically...