EDO GOV. LAMBASTS NBA PRESIDENT

The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole had given a blow to the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali over his calls for the proscription of the Nigeria Governors Forum [NGF] during the latter's visit to Bayelsa State.
Governor, Oshiomhole expressed surprise that, Mr. Wali who became President of the Nigeria Bar Association after taking the Oath of office to serve in that capacity had failed to  protect a fundamental proviso in the Nigerian Constitution that is the Freedom of Association, which according to him, had given the right to Mr. President to relate with other national leaders in the formation of or membership of International Organizations and wondered why Mr. Wali wanted the proscription of the NGF. He said: "recently I watched the President of the NBA saying in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that the Governor's Forum should be discarded, I think the factor or location influenced his conclusion. He betrayed his oath to defend Nigerians of the right to associate."  The Governor was not done yet until he came with a thunderous submission. Hear him: " I want to submit that the environment and the overall circumstances known and unknown that led the NBA President to call for the freezing of the right of Governors to associate borders on corrupt practice." It will be recalled that the President of NBA, Mr, Okey Wali was in Bayelsa State as a VIP in government house where he was treated to luncheon and dinner by Hon.Dickson who called Wali his best friend in his April Transparency briefing, held in May.
One cannot tell what the NBA President would say in view of the fact that he was truly in Yenagoa and made a call that 'the NGF be discarded." When Mr.. Wali took the oath of office as the President of NBA this is what he said:-
"My vision for the Bar is that of a professionalized Bar professionalized in the sense of keeping to the best traditions of the profession, best ethics, which we seem to have lost a lot of grounds on." If after two years of NBA presidency, the only thing I achieved is to change the image of the profession and to change the ethical standards I would have left the NBA a very satisfied man." Whether Mr. Wali is keeping these words of his, or not is another thing to watch and see. .