Nigeria’s legal community has been plunged deeper into controversy after the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Garki Branch formally ratified the suspension of its Chairman, Anthony Bamidele Ojo, over the widely condemned appointment of convicted pension fraud figure Abdulrasheed Maina as the branch’s “Grand Patron.”
At a general meeting held Friday at the NBA House in Abuja, members of the branch unanimously endorsed the earlier suspension of Ojo, describing the decision as necessary to protect the integrity of the legal profession.
The meeting also resolved that the acting chairman be added as a signatory to the branch’s bank accounts pending further administrative and disciplinary actions.
Outrage Over Maina Appointment
The crisis erupted in January after a viral video circulated online showing what appeared to be a press conference and award ceremony in which Maina—who was previously convicted for diverting more than ₦2 billion in pension funds—was introduced as “Grand Patron” of the NBA Garki Branch.
The footage triggered widespread outrage across Nigeria’s legal community, with critics accusing the Bar of legitimising corruption and undermining public confidence in the justice system.
In response, the Executive Committee of the NBA Garki Branch swiftly disowned the event, insisting it had never authorised or approved any such ceremony.
“The purported news conference and award presentation ceremony was never discussed, approved, or sanctioned,” the branch said in an earlier statement, stressing that its executive officers and general membership had no prior knowledge of the event.
The branch warned that honouring a person whose conviction remains subject to ongoing appellate proceedings could prejudice a matter that is sub judice, violating professional ethics and the Bar’s commitment to the rule of law.
Emergency Action and Investigation
Following an emergency meeting on January 23, the branch suspended Ojo and launched a formal investigation into the incident.
An ad hoc committee headed by senior lawyer Barnabas Oswald Kwamkur was constituted to probe the circumstances surrounding the alleged conference and the purported patronage appointment.
The branch’s Vice-Chairman, Lydia Izan, subsequently assumed leadership in an acting capacity.
Members of the public and the legal community were urged to disregard the event entirely, with the branch insisting it had no institutional backing.
National NBA Issues Strong Rebuke
The controversy escalated when the national leadership of the NBA intervened, issuing a strongly worded condemnation of the incident.
NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) described the purported appointment as “reprehensible” and damaging to the reputation of the legal profession.
“The Bar will not, under any guise, lend its platform, name, or institutional credibility to influence public opinion or judicial proceedings,” Osigwe said.
“Any attempt to do so constitutes a grave violation of professional ethics and a direct affront to the rule of law.”
The national body directed Ojo to immediately withdraw the appointment and cease issuing any statements suggesting the association’s support for Maina.
It also announced plans to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the embattled branch chairman for alleged breaches of the NBA Constitution and the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Chairman’s Defence
In his defence, Ojo said representatives of Maina had approached the branch offering support for criminal justice reform initiatives.
He argued that the recognition was intended only as a limited patronage acknowledgment tied to reform advocacy, not an endorsement of Maina’s past conduct.
However, Ojo later admitted he had not fully verified the procedural status of Maina’s criminal case at the time and acknowledged that greater caution should have been exercised.
A Test for the Legal Profession
For many legal analysts, the controversy has become a broader credibility test for Nigeria’s legal profession, highlighting the reputational risks associated with any perceived alignment with figures convicted of corruption.
The NBA Garki Branch has since reaffirmed its commitment to ethical standards and the rule of law.
“The integrity of the Branch and the legal profession remains non-negotiable,” the branch said, pledging corrective measures as investigations continue.
