By Gbenga Abulude
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did not show up at the 60th Virtual Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
His decision to shun the conference is not unconnected to the call for his dis-invitation as one of the speakers billed to speak at the event.
Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Akinyemi, confirmed on Saturday, August 29 that Obasanjo did not attend nor speak at the conference.
“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was obviously not at the conference but I don’t know why he did not attend the event,” Akinyemi said.
The conference which has ended, attracted a lot of reactions following the selection of the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as one of the speakers.
Some lawyers called for his removal due to his failure to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna.
Succumbing to pressure, the NBA tweeted its decision, “The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir el-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the governor.”
Following El-Rufai’s removal, some lawyers under the Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria also asked the NBA to dis-invite Obasanjo and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
However, Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, spoke at the conference.
Rivers State Governors was said to have sent a representative.
