The Body of State Attorneys-General has intervened in the leadership crisis affecting the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), calling for the immediate convening of an emergency meeting of the General Council of the Bar (GCB) to resolve the dispute endangering the unity of the legal profession.
The body also urged all parties involved in the crisis to suspend public exchanges and embrace dialogue, warning that inflammatory comments could further deepen the impasse.
The body passed the resolutions in a communiqué jointly signed by its chairman, Dr Ben Odoh, and the secretary, Ibrahim Sulyman, after its meeting in Lagos.
The Attorneys-General expressed concern over recent developments within the NBA and called on members of the Bar and other stakeholders to refrain from making public statements that could escalate tensions.
In contrast, efforts are underway to resolve the dispute through appropriate institutional channels.
The body urged all parties to comply with the court’s earlier directives and pursue an amicable settlement in the interest of preserving the unity, dignity, and integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association.
It specifically called for the urgent convening of an emergency meeting of the General Council of the Bar, the statutory body established under Section 1(1) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Cap. L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which is vested with the responsibility for the management of the affairs of the NBA.
According to the Attorneys-General, the emergency meeting would provide the appropriate institutional platform to address and amicably resolve the issues that have given rise to the current leadership crisis.
The body reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, the independence of the legal profession and the preservation of the unity and institutional integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association.
It also expressed confidence that the lingering crisis could be resolved through constructive engagement, mutual respect and strict adherence to the provisions of the law.
