The Nigerian Bar Association National Elections Appeal Committee (NBA-NEAC), on Monday, issued guidelines for hearing and determining complaints arising from the 2022 NBA National Elections held on Saturday.
A copy of the guidelines signed by the Chairperson of the NBA-NEAC, Mrs Funmi Robert, and the Secretary Mr Augustine Ajineh, was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
NAN reports that ballots opened for election of NBA national officers at 12.a.m. on Saturday and closed at 11.59 p.m. on the same day.
Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) emerged the new NBA Presidential with a total of 22,342 votes.
However, some aggrieved supporters of some candidates are calling for audit of the election process.
The NBA-NEAC, in the guidelines stated, among others things, that it would receive and determine complaints/petitions from candidates who took part in the elections and representatives of the association in the General Council of the Bar.
It stated: “A petitioner shall send his or her petition with supporting documents to NBA-NEAC e-mail box -electionappeal@nigerianbar.org.ng within days of the announcement of the elections results.”
The committee added that a petitioner should send a copy of the petition and supporting documents to the respondents.
“Proof of service on all relevant parties shall be filed with the NBA-NEAC by e-mail to electionappeal@nigerianbar.org.ng.
“Hearing maybe conducted by reviewing documents presented by the petitioner and the respondents,” it said.
The committee, however, added that if considered neccessary, an oral hearing involving the parties might be conducted online or in person.
“The NBA NEAC may rely on any documents, information or materials relevant for the just determination of the petition, after giving the parties the opportunity to address NBA-NEAC on it.
“If any of the parties intend to call expert witnesses , the number of such expert witnesses, discipline and credentials, as well as written evidence of such expert witnesses shall be frontloaded by the party seeking to present the witness,” it said.
The committee said that its decision would be notified in writing to the petitioner and the respondents before swearing-in of the elected national officers or before the representatives of the association in the General Council of the Bar would assume office. (NAN)
