No fewer than 105 Muslims lawyers in Kaduna have indicated their intention to boycott the proposed Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) conference following the withdrawal of the invitation earlier given to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.
This development was disclosed by an executive member of the Muslim Lawyers Council (MULAC), Kaduna State, Barrister Suleiman Shuaib while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna on Saturday
Shuaib who was the immediate past state chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) said: “We have gathered over 105 signatures of our members who said they don’t have anything to do with the conference.
“I want to put it on record, that so far no fewer than 105 lawyers that we collected their signatures under MULAC would be boycotting. Yes, we are expecting more before the conference.
“The sentiment put forward was not properly articulated. In the first place, el-Rufai didn’t ask anybody he wants to speak but rather we invited him. But because of pressure from some people within, his invitation was withdrawn.”
Shuaib who is also a member of the Technical Committee of NBA noted that the sentiments put forward to withdraw the invitation would have a negative impact on the union for a very long time.
“Now anybody that is invited to the conference would have a rethink because of the el-Rufai’s experience.”
He counselled the new leadership to reach out and unite its members as soon as they are sworn in.
Shuaib maintained that “even though the decision to withdraw el-Rufai’s invitation has been taken and there’s nothing we can do. But we are not gagged from speaking our minds.
“As a member of the technical committee of the NBA , I know the energy that was put in place to get the governor. I believe some people that are not on the same page with the governor just had their way.
“If you are talking about security, there is Birnin Gwari that is no go area. There is Katsina. Obasanjo that ordered for the grounding of Zaki Biam is now invited.
“If we had allowed him to come and speak and later engage him on the security challenges in his state especially in the southern part, we could have learned a lot and understand his views.
“Don’t forget the former NBA president Mahmoud came during his tenure and toured the whole of Southern Kaduna and later submitted a report. The present leadership could have improved on Mahmud’s report instead of being one-sided.”
