The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) on Wednesday held its Candidates’ Debate and Manifesto Day in Abuja, with Presidential candidate Mr Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, absent from the event.
Another Presidential candidate, Mr Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, who had earlier threatened to boycott the debate over alleged irregularities in the debate guidelines, eventually participated alongside Mrs Oyinkan Badejo-Okusanya, SAN. Other candidates for various national offices, also presented their manifestoes.
Before the event, Akangbe had petitioned the ECNBA, describing the debate guidelines as structurally deficient. He argued that provisions barring candidates from responding to or challenging one another, would reduce the exercise to individual presentations rather than a genuine debate.
According to him, debates should allow cross-examination, rebuttals and direct exchanges to properly test candidates’ ideas and leadership abilities. He warned that without such provisions, the exercise would fail to meet the expectations of members.
Akangbe had threatened to withdraw if the guidelines were not reviewed, but later disclosed that the electoral committee made concessions which persuaded him to participate.
Akinboro, however, stayed away from the debate. In a statement posted on his verified X account, he said he decided not to participate after considering recent developments surrounding the rescheduled NBA election and the proposed debate.
The NBA national election is scheduled for July 18, and will be conducted electronically. The debate formed part of efforts by the ECNBA to provide candidates with an opportunity to present their programmes, and engage members ahead of the polls.
