Exclusive Interview: NBA Chairman, Barr. Ahmed Tukur speaks on World range issues
By Michael ADIELE, Gombe
The Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, [ NBA], Gombe State Council, Barr. Ahmed Tukur spoke to Michael Adiele, on world range of issues during an exclusive interview with Northeast Star Magazine in Gombe on Monday.
Sir, congratulations on your new position as the Chairman of NBA which coincided with your birthday on 30th July 2021. Please sir, kindly tell us the roadmap of your administration?
There was no pledge of what we shall do but to consolidate the laudable achievements of the past administration led by Barr Yarima Haruna. So when we assumed office, we met a virgin land which we have the intention to build a befitting Bar Center.
There are so many things on the ground which to be put in place. As I said from the outset, there was no pledge but our commitment is to ensure that NBA, as an association of lawyers, is taken a step further through putting in place a good building structure for the association.
This is achievable if we can source funds from the state government, corporate organizations, and non-state actors. This project, if actualized, is the center of all the lawyers and therefore, a dream of every lawyer in the state. Our projection or estimate for the project is something within the region of 20 million Naira or thereabouts. We are calling on government and other stakeholders to assist the association in building a befitting Bar Center for lawyers in the state.
Sir, what is your plan for the welfare of your members?
On the welfare of members which includes well- the being of a person or persons, particularly the private lawyers whose only source of income is dependent on them getting clients; it is another area of utmost priority.
We have a corporative society that was established and the members inaugurated. it is another area, even though nothing has been done to see that the corporative society is working, and we want to revamp it, most especially for the private lawyers, because they don’t have any fixed income and are only dependent on what they get from their clients.
Sir, how do you handle the issues of bad eggs amongst your members?
We have a disciplinary committee for checking the conduct of legal practitioners in the state, so if any of our members behave in an unethical way, normally there must be a petition against the lawyer.
Our disciplinary committee is headed by a chairman who is a High Court Judge, Justice S.Y.Suleiman, there is a secretary and other members, so they are charged with the responsibility of looking into the unprofessional conduct of members and take decisions on the appropriate sanction or otherwise in line with the constitution.
Sir, apart from the consolidation of achievements of the past administration, what are the other areas of focus by your administration?
We ensure we create a good positive and productive relationship with government, agencies, and non-state actors locally, nationally, and Internationally for the achievements, as watchdogs of rule of law and strengthening the unity of members generally and sustaining the development, bearing in mind the homogeneous nature of the state.
NBA is a pressure group promoting the rule of law, therefore, we are stakeholders in each activity of governance which includes and is not limited to the conduct of general elections and conduct of elected officials whose constituencies deliver dividends of democracy and accountability to their people.
Sir, what is your take on the 2023 general elections as a body?
NBA plans to send two members to each ward in Gombe State to enable them to have a comprehensive report of elections particularly the 2023 general elections.
In Gombe State, we have over 500 Lawyers and we have 114 wards in the state, and we usually send members to monitor the general elections.
Sir, how do you describe the administration of Governor Mohammadu Inuwa Yahaya so far?.
Governor Mohammadu Inuwa Yahaya is trying when we look at Gombe, there is structural development that is the physical presence of facilities and also in terms of security, Gombe is the safest place you can live in the North East. Naturally, it is a credit to his administration and so we can rate him excellent.
We commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for the appointment of Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak as the Acting Chief Judge of the state is the most senior in the Judiciary after the retirement of the former Acting Chief Judge, Justice Abdulakadir Muzau Pindiga.
Also, you may wish to note that the present Acting Chief Judge, Justice Joseph Ahmed Awak is known for objectivity, neutrality, and independence of the mind in discharging his duties.
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They also expressed appreciation to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for appointing three High Court Judges namely Justice Zainab Abdulakadir, Justice Abdulsalam Mohammed Kumo, Justice Dorabo Suleiman Sikkam, and two kadis of Sharia Court of Appeal, are Hon. Kadi Ahmed Baba Bala and Hon Kadi Adamu Kuna.
Sir, as a Chairman and also a civil servant in the Ministry of Justice, don’t you think that your hands are tied in the dispensation of justice?
No, No, not at all, we are under the oath and we are elected and we take it as a pledge to serve the mandate of members, so fear is not in my character, so I only fear God; I always ensure that we protect the general interest of our members and our interest is not in contravention of the law and there is not any way my capacity as a civil servant will affect the leadership of NBA.
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Sir, how can you describe the administration of your National President, Chief Olumide Akpata, SAN ?.
The National President of our association, Chief Olumide Akpata SAN is doing great for the welfare of members across the country and has set up a powerful committee that came out with a decision to open up a law pavilion. It is an archive, an e-library where lawyers can access current cases from the Court of Appeal and Supreme court cases.
Sir, what is your message to your members?
The message we are sending to our junior and senior colleagues is that they always strive to conduct themselves by the ethics of our dear profession.
