NBA President Apologizes to El-Rufai for Withdrawing Conference Invitation

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has apologized to Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai for withdrawing the earlier invitation it gave him to be one of the panelists at the upcoming annual conference of the association.

In a letter by the outgoing NBA President, Paul Usoro (SAN), dated 21st August 2020 and addressed to the Director-General, Nigerian Governors’ Forum said he regrets the embarrassment the withdrawal might have caused him adding that it was the National Executive Council (NEC) that made the decision not to invite him again.

“Let me once again, through your good offices, tender my unreserved apologies to His Excellency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, for the unintended embarrassment that may have been caused him by the decision of the NBA National Executive Committee (NEC) decision at its meeting that was held on 20th August 2020, to dis-invite him as a Panelist in one of the sessions scheduled for the upcoming NBA Annual General Conference (AGC).

“As the NBA President, I take full responsibility for the unintended embarrassment and tender my regrets and apologies,” Usoro said.

“As an elected National Officer of the Association, I am personally answerable to NEC and cannot overrule its decisions even if I have different viewpoints and positions in regard thereto. TCCP, as an NBA organ, is in precisely the same position and the same applies to all other committees of the NBA” he said

“There truly was nothing that I or the TCCP could do in the face of NEC’s decision,” he said and pointed out that the decision of NBA’s NEC had no ethnic or religious colouration or connotation howsoever and whatsoever.

He said, the NBA NEC, by its decision, was not passing any judgment on Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as the body is not in a position to pass such judgments without having all the facts and hearing from all the sides and it did not set out to pass any such judgment.

“I truly would appreciate your bringing this letter to the attention not just of HE Nasir el-Rufai but also to all the other members of the esteemed Nigerian Governors’ Forum and in particular, the Chairman of the Forum, HE (Dr) Kayode Fayemi.

“Please, assure Their Excellencies that the NBA holds all our Governors, including HE Nasir el-Rufai, in the highest esteem and would do nothing intentionally to embarrass them collectively or individually.

“Once again, I offer my sincere and deepest apologies and regrets for the unintended embarrassment that may have been caused to HE Nasir el-Rufai by the afore-referenced decision of the NBA NEC and would appreciate your passing on my regrets and apologies to him personally,” Usoro added.