EXPOSED: NBA Gen-Sec., Taidi Accuses Paul Usoro of N119M ‘Scam’

Crisis is currently rocking the outgoing leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association as the General Secretary, Jonathan Taidi has accused the NBA President, Paul Usoro SAN of attempting to fleece the association of  One Hundred and Nineteen million Naira, a report by online blog CITY LAWYER MAGAZINE reveals.

According to the report, Mr. Taidi made these revelations in an email he shared with other National officers of the Association concerning the activities of the Association’s National Secretariat and Mr. Usoro’s support of a junior staff member of the Association who disrespected the General Secretary.

The report quoted Mr. Taidi’s response to the NBA President thus;

The outgoing NBA Secretary also accused the NBA President of requesting the payment of Twenty Million Naira to a company, Fazfal Enterprises, a private company for a contract already paid by the regime of former NBA President, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN.

Mr. Taidi further accused Usoro of another attempt to pay N15 Million to a staff of the Supreme Court of Nigeria “for services not rendered to the NBA.” His words: “Recently, you caused Ayodeji Oni to send an invoice to pay Fifteen Million Naira (N15,000,000.00) to a female staff of the Supreme Court for services not rendered to the NBA which I refused to recommend and many more.”

The NBA Scribe revealed how he stopped these attempts to fleece the Association and cited these instances as the reason, the NBA President is supporting the junior staff member of the Association to undermine his authority.

Miss Ayodeji Oni, The last straw that broke the camel’s back”

It has for almost two years been a popular belief among lawyers that the NBA President, Paul Usoro SAN, openly and greatly undermined the office of the General Secretary which Mr Jonathan Taidi, a quiet, peaceful gentleman, occupy.

This became evident early through their two years tenure, when in March 2019 the NBA President openly denied knowledge of an official routine letter written to Aliyu Umar, SAN, a government lawyer prosecuting the removed Ex-CJN Walter Onnoghen. A denial many lawyers described as greatly undermining the NBA GS office.

Lawyers further watched in dismay as the General Secretary was relegated to the background for almost two years and other Junior officers were assigned roles that traditionally was that of the General Secretary. Insiders reveal that Mr Taidi endured these offensive acts of the NBA President “for peace to reign”.

The last straw that probably broke the camel’s back was the case of Miss Ayodeji Oni. According to the NBA Records, Miss. Ayodeji Olatokunbo Oni is head of the Membership and Bar Services of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and is also the Administrative and Finance Officer on the NBA-MacArthur Project.

According to the report from CITY LAWYER, the NBA scribe had through Ms. Salamatu Sidi, NBA’s Head of Finance & Administration, issued a query to Miss Oni “to explain why as Head of Bar Services the attendance sheet of the National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of 5th December, 2019 was used in place of the attendance of 12th March, 2020,”.

Miss Oni did not respond to the query but challenged the General Secretary’s authority to authorize the issuance of the said query. In reaction, Mr Taidi Suspended Miss Oni for insubordination.

However, the NBA President without recourse to the General Secretary reversed the suspension Order and asked Miss Oni to resume her duties with Immediate effect.

The action of the NBA President angered the General Secretary and prompted him to make revelations of the attempted Scam by the NBA President. He alleged that it was these Scams he blocked that made Mr Usoro’s support the undermining of his office.

According to Mr Taidi, Mr Usoro’s response (reversal) confirmed the planned NEW JOB PLACEMENT AND DESCRIPTION which he intend to present to the Annual General Meeting of the NBA wherein Miss Oni will be ELEVATED (sic) TO OCCUPY THE MOST SENIOR POSITION IN THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT even though she is unable to justify her qualification on the current job description.

Mr Taidi vowed to resist Mr Usoro’s attempt to undermine his office, and will dismiss Miss Ayodeji Oni for gross insubordination if she resumes work in violation of her suspension order.

Mr Usoro had asked Miss Oni to “Orally Apologize” to Mr Taidi instead of responding to the query.

Below is the full email of Mr. Jonathan Taidi

From: Jonathan Gunu Taidi <taidi.jonathan@nigerianbar.org.ng>
Date: Thursday, 27 August 2020 at 09:44
To: “Paul Usoro, SAN” <paul.usoro@nigerianbar.org.ng>
Cc: OLAGBEGI-OLOBA VICTORIA BANKE ESQ <banke.oloba@nigerianbar.org.ng>, Salamatu Sidi <salamatu.sidi@nigerianbar.org.ng>, “abayomi.o.ogunola@pwc.com” <abayomi.o.ogunola@pwc.com>, Ursula Agbamuche <ursula.agbamuche@nigerianbar.org.ng>, Ayodeji Oni <ayodeji.oni@nigerianbar.org.ng>
Subject: Re: Query and Suspension from Duties without Pay

My President,

I have read your email below and surprised at your interference in MATTERS OF DISCIPLINE in the National Secretariat of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) occasioned by your PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with AYODEJI ONI who was suspended on 25th August, 2020 for acts of gross insubordination.

Ayodeji Oni was at my instance issued with a query dated 21st August, 2020 to explain why as Head of Bar Services the attendance sheet of the National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of 5th December, 2019 was used in place of the attendance of 12th March, 2020. She did not respond to the query, but challenged my authority to authorize the issuance of the said query and stated as follows:

“1. On the 21st August, 2020 at about 11.58pm, you sent me a “Query” to which I responded only out of professional courtesy.”

2. Secondly, I responded to you in order to facilitate the smooth transition of the current administration.”

The response confirms the planned NEW JOB PLACEMENT AND DESCRIPTION which you intend to present to the Annual General Meeting of the NBA wherein Ayodeji Oni will be ELEVETED TO OCCUPY THE MOST SENIOR POSITION IN THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT even though she is unable to justify her qualification on the current job description.

Your directive to Ayodeji Oni to resume work today is aimed at undermining my office for refusing to recommend payment to a private company for a contract you awarded to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company for the printing of 2019/2020 practice license in the sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) which I consider to be unlawful. I recall that sometime in September, 2019 you sent me an invoice in the sum of One Hundred and Four Million Naira (N104,000,000.00) purportedly meant for purchase of a new elevator for the NBA House. I blocked the attempt to fleece the NBA and I know you have not forgiven me. Recently, you caused Ayodeji Oni to send an invoice to pay Fifteen Million Naira (N15,000,000.00) to a female staff of the Supreme Court for services not rendered to the NBA which I refused to recommend and many more.

I will resist your attempt to undermine the office of the General Secretary, uphold the confidence reposed in me by our members and will not hesitate to dismiss Ayodeji Oni for gross insubordination if she resumes work in violation of the suspension order.

Accept my regards, please.

Jonathan Gunu Taidi, Esq.

General Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)