Mary Akanbi
23rd April, 2025
According to The ongoing leadership crisis in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nyanya-Karu Branch, intensified on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, as members of the Branch passed a vote of no confidence on the Executive Committee led by Augustine Ibolo, Esq. The decision was made during the Branch’s monthly meeting held at the Federal Capital Territory High Court premises in Nyanya, Abuja.
In a decisive move to restore order, members unanimously adopted a motion for the dissolution of the Ibolo-led executive and the immediate appointment of a caretaker committee to take over the running of the Branch. Elder Morris Osakwe was elected as the Interim Caretaker Committee Chairman, while Mr. Raymond Asika was appointed as the Committee Secretary.
The crisis stems from numerous allegations leveled against Mr. Ibolo, including financial misappropriation, maladministration, and deliberate manipulation of the Branch’s electoral process. Members have accused him of attempting to install handpicked loyalists as future branch leaders and controversially appointing individuals who are neither known nor registered members of the Branch to serve on the Electoral Committee.
Tensions further escalated during the April meeting when members protested the alteration of the Branch’s minutes to reflect only positive narratives in favor of Mr. Ibolo. Despite these objections, Ibolo allegedly insisted on adopting the manipulated minutes and refused to acknowledge opposing views. He reportedly walked out of the meeting before it was concluded, prompting members to move swiftly with the vote of no confidence and appointment of the interim leadership.
This is according to a member of the Branch.
With the Branch’s elections scheduled for June 2025, the recent developments cast uncertainty over the credibility of the electoral process and have heightened calls for urgent intervention by the national leadership of the NBA.
In a rebuttal to the news after a phone call was put across to the Welfare Secretary of the Branch, Mr. Titus Agundu by our reporter, he stated that it was not true that a vote of confidence was passed against the Executives of the Branch. That what actually happened was that the Chairman had to postpone the meeting after he saw that it was getting late due to the rowdiness of the meeting which was caused by a member who joined from another branch and not yet a member of the branch. That the Chairman of the Branch intends to call for another meeting anytime from now.
See below the earlier petition submitted against the Branch Chairman to the NBA President by some members of the Branch
