In the run-up to the 2022 edition of the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), which is slated for Sokoto, the Sokoto State capital, from Sunday, May 22, to Thursday, May 26, 2022, the Chairman of the Section, Monday Onyekachi Ubani addressed a press conference in Lagos at which he outlined in comprehensive detail the programme of activities during the planned event.
Disclosing that the Conference will hold at the exquisite Sokoto Conference Centre, Airport Road, Sokoto under the theme, “RULE OF LAW & DEMOCRATIC EVOLUTION IN NIGERIA, ” Ubani also revealed that the Keynote Address, titled, “RULE OF LAW & NIGERIA’S DEMOCRATIC EXPERIENCE – THE WAY FORWARD” will be delivered by the renowned jurist and academic, and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Akin Oyebode.
The Sokoto gathering, Ubani said, will commence on Monday, May 23, 2022 with speeches by such distinguished guests as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad; NBA President, Mr. Olumide Akpata; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar; and the Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, while Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State is expected to declare the Conference open.
According to the SPIDEL Chairman, the sub-themes to be dissected by an array of leading speakers include the following:
- Democratic Evolution & Nation Building – The Past, Present & Future of Nigeria;
- The Rule of Law Index in the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria;
- Costs of Elections (Human & Financial Costs) – Counting the Costing & Applying the Values;
- Rule of Law, Security & Promotion of Democracy;
- Civilian vs. Uniformed Citizens: Human Rights Non-Compliance & the Changing Rules of Engagement;
- Tackling Impunity, Electoral Offenders and Insecurity;
- Unity in Diversity: The Rule of Law as the Unifier;
- Partnership Forum: Everyone a Changemaker Movement;
- The Role of Technology in Electoral Governance;
- Electoral Act 2022 and Electoral Justice;
- Political Parties & Internal Party Democracy – Challenges & Prospects;
- The Rule of Law and Elections as it Affects Persons with Disabilities and Other Vulnerable Groups; and
- State Independent Electoral Commissions: Protectors or Destroyers of Democracy?
Among the many speakers that have confirmed their attendance, according to Ubani, are the Hon. Justice Inyang Okoro, JSC; Mr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner & Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee; Amnesty International Country Director, Ms. Osai Ojigho; former Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN; National Chairman of ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu; Mr. Tony Nnadi, Secretary of Lower Niger Congress; Dr. Daniel Bwala, former Senior Special Assistant to the Senate President; and Prof. C. B. N. Ogbogbo, Director of Research at NARC.
Others, he said, are the retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Olafimihan Adeoye; Prof. Yemisi Bamgbose, SAN, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director at Yiaga Africa; Mr. Hilary Ogbonna of National Human Rights Commission; Prof. Remi Ayede, Head of Political Science Department at the University of Ibadan; Chi Chikwendu, Partner at Riverbrooke Solicitors, London, UK; Prof. Agbo Madaki and Dr. Lydia Umar, Executive Director, Gender Awareness Trust.
Also expected at the Annual Conference, the SPIDEL head disclosed, are Dr. Amina Muhammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General; INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah; Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Founder, Fix Politics; Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba; Mr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as well as his predecessor in office, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, and several state governors.
Ubani added that apart from the intellectual feasting expected at the confab, a number of lighthearted sideline events have also been planned to ensure that the conferees enjoy a first-class experience in the royal and serene seat of the ancient Sokoto Caliphate.
“The conferees, ” he said, “will be guests of the Sultanate when they visit the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar. Other fun sites to be visited by the conferees include the BUA Cement factory, Argungun UNESCO site, Sokoto Race Course and the History Bureau/Museum. To ensure the optimal comfort of the conferees, a Welcome Cocktail Party is to be hosted by the Chief Judge of Sokoto State while a Variety Night and several luncheons have been secured by the Conference Planning Committee (CPC) ably led by three-time Lagos State Commissioner, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN. This will be capped with a State Banquet to be hosted by the Sokoto State Government.”
Ubani praised the Conference Planning Committee for its uncommon industry and foresight, and also expressed SPIDEL’s gratitude to Gov. Tambuwal (who happens to be a lawyer and Life Bencher), who, Ubani said, has thrown his full weight and that of the entire government of the state towards the hosting of the Conference in a secure and serene environment.
“It is noteworthy,” Ubani went on, “that Sokoto remains one of the safest cities in Nigeria, as many of us who recently visited the lovely city in the course of planning for the conference can attest. This notwithstanding, the State Government has assured of security cordon and extra joint security patrols throughout the Conference period.”
Noted for its quality leather and gold markets, Sokoto remains a tourist’s dream and delight.
Ubani highlighted the ample shopping opportunities awaiting conferees both within the Conference venue and around the city of Sokoto. Conferees will be delighted to note, he said, that the Conference Planning Committee has secured very reasonable rebates for as low as N6,000 per night from some leading hotels situated barely 10 minutes away from the Sokoto Conference Centre venue of the event. In light of this, Dr. Ubani also informed the press that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has also secured free bus services to ferry conferees from their respective hotels to the Conference venue. He also noted the availability of direct flights from a number of Nigerian cities to Sokoto, even as he advised prospective conferees to book their flights well in advance of the Conference. Airlines that currently offer direct flights to Sokoto include MAX Air, Arik Airline and AERO Contractors.
The SPIDEL boss also disclosed that the registration window has been extended and will now end finally on May 11, 2022.
For registration, hotel reservation, sponsorship opportunities and more information on the Annual Conference, conferees are advised to please visit https://nbaspidel.ng/.
The Sokoto SPIDEL Conference follows previous successful Conferences in Aba in Abia State and Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. “Given the planning that has gone into this year’s conference and the unflinching support of the Sokoto State Government,” Ubani said, “I have no doubt that the Sokoto annual conference will surpass our previous experiences by miles. We expect all lawyers and public interest stakeholders all over the federation in Sokoto this May.”
Turning his attention to pressing national issues, the NBA-SPIDEL Chairman issued an unequivocal condemnation of the attempt by legislators at the national assembly to criminalise ransom payments by victims of kidnapping while ignoring the root cause of the phenomenon. “Law, ” he asserted, “ought to reflect reality in any given society. The truth of the matter is that victims of kidnapping pay ransoms out of desperation and abject helplessness, knowing fully well that the State has failed and is unable to protect lives and property or secure the release of their loved ones from kidnappers’ dens.”
He continued: “It is very appalling therefore that the same country that has failed to provide security to the people it governs is embarking on a ‘suicide mission’ of criminalizing ransom payment by the very victims that are helpless and desperate to save the lives of their loved ones.”
He dismissed the piece of legislation under contemplation as lacking in logic and wisdom, advising the House of Representatives to jettison the Bill without further consideration, and focus instead on laws that would strengthen national security and protection of lives and property.
On the campaigns ahead of the 2023 general elections, the SPIDEL Chairman expressed shock at the number of presidential aspirants buying Expression of Interest forms from their various parties at very exorbitant fees – a sentiment shared by no small number of Nigerians – and called on Nigerians should ‘shine their eyes’ in order to avoid the grave errors of the past as far as leadership recruitment is concerned. “We must separate the wheat from the chaff, and pretenders from contenders, ” he warned. “Our wrong choices of the past have kept us where we are today … It will be a colossal disaster if after passing through the harrowing experiences of the past few years due to wrong choices, we make the same mistake in 2023 by choosing most of the jesters who are parading themselves as presidential candidates.
We refuse to believe that Nigeria is under the curse of bad leadership. If there is such a curse, let us consciously and vigorously break the yoke of that curse collectively and choose a destiny of progress and growth. Let Nigerians arise from their slumber and insist on leadership with antecedents, a leadership that can take us to our desired destination. It is possible if we collectively push for it.”
Ubani concluded his presentation by reminding the NASS legislators that the constitutional amendment currently underway was being eagerly monitored and awaited by Nigerians. “We have always advocated for a new autochthonous constitution, a constitution made by the people themselves, ” he said. “We demand the immediate passage of some of the amendments to the 1999 Constitution which may correct some of the noticeable flaws in our federal structure. We need more powers and funds to be devolved to the federating units in order to correct the present defective system. Even though a half measure (in itself), it is better than doing nothing with the present overbearing federal structure that breeds such intolerable inefficiency.”
Ubani solicited the partnership of the press in every sphere of SPIDEL’s affairs, and especially concerning the success of the Sokoto confab in late May, 2022.
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