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NBA Colloquium: Between A Talkshow And A Dress Parade
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By: Inuwa Bwala
Not only is the annual Bar Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA regarded as a assemblage of professional luminaries, it is also a rhendezvous for robust intellectual engagement. I know as a matter of fact that, lawyers always want to appear smart, but I am not aware, the colloquium is an outfit parade.
Every participant or guest to the conference did not leave their homes with the intention to get accolades or prizes for appearance, rather to add value to the most important gathering of Nigerian lawyers. I was not therefore impressed with the snapshot of Senator Kashim Shettima adorning what some people felt was inappropriate dress, which is trending in the social media.
I am sure if the Presidential running mate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had been told that part of the agenda of the conference was to scrutinize people’s dresses, he could have complied with any dress code given. I say this conscious of the fact that, public appearance, nay dressing have never been an issue with Distinguished Senator Kashim Shettima
He remains one public figure to whom looks and brain are his attributes.
It is not in doubt, that, Shettima is one of the flamboyant dressers, even amongst his peers, but far beyond this, he is an authority on any subject he is asked to speak to at any public forum.
Every discerning mind could see through the motive behind the trending picture in the Social Media: to the effect that some people were just out to embarrass the gentleman.
The colleague who forwarded the snapshot of Senator Kashim Shettima to me, said this much in the ridder to the post.
My take on the issue was to first ask, whether Kashim Shettima, who stood in for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential standard bearer of the APC, was singled out to further the narrative, which seeks to demarket their ticket, or to tap from his rich repository of intellectualism?
If the former was the case, I think the authors of the mischief only succeeded in temporarily embarrassing Shettima, but grossly failing to take the shine from him, as he was perhaps the most outstanding intellectual amongst the non legal personalities at the conference.
If the later was the case, I feel that, those who showed interest in Shettima’s outfit much more than what he brought to the table were most uncharitable to the bar, which stand to benefit from the blend of ideas with Shettima.
It is not for nothing that lawyers regard each other as learned. This concept finds interpretation in both their outputs and their conducts, and allowing that piece of mischief to define their interactions with their guests at the conference was indeed very unfortunate.
If it were not a Bar conference, at which speakership was restricted amongst professional lawyers, Kashim Shettima would have dazzled the men of the wig with his oratory presentation. Even at that, the brief remarks he made, must have erased whatever notions, those who did not know him may have held.
Those who seek to embarrass Kashim Shettima with those posts should take up the challenge he threw to those who heard him speak; that what will define our future may not be rhetorics, nay propaganda, but experience and capacity. The days ahead will bring out those attributes.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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