NBA: Maikyau Will Not Step Aside Over Fraud, Nepotism Allegations, Spokesperson Replies Ex-NHRC Chairman Odinkalu

…As Association Explains Singer Portable’s Performance At Annual Conference

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has rejected calls for its President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau SAN, to step aside for an independent probe into allegations of contract fraud and nepotism levelled against him.

Maikyau had been accused of favouritism over the engagement of his nephew, Solomon Magaji, as a contractor to manage the IT infrastructure of the NBA.

The NBA’s reaction was in response to the call made by a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, on his Twitter page on Monday.

Odinkalu had expressed surprise over how the NBA president addressed the claims of nepotism against him.

He had called for the NBA president to recuse himself to allow for an independent probe of the allegations against him.

Odinkalu also criticised the National Executive Committee of the NBA for failing to interrogate Maikyau over allegations of nepotism and IT contract fraud.

“I was surprised that @YCMaikyauSAN spent over 30 minutes addressing #NEC on a matter in which he admits he has family business interests, making allegations like anyhow when he should have recused himself and asked NEC to constitute an independent investigation.

“I was even more scandalised that no one on the NEC of @NigBarAssoc could tell @YCMaikyauSAN that he was conflicted out of the subject matter and could not proceed the way he was going.

“This is a pretty squalid advertisement for the NBA & it’s current leadership,” Odinkalu tweeted Monday.

THE WHISTLER reached out to the National Publicity Secretary of the NBA, Akorede Lawal, to know if the association’s president would step aside for an independent probe as requested by some senior lawyers particularly Odinkalu.

“I can assure you that there is no issue within the NBA and there is no cause for anybody to step aside for anybody at the moment.

“There is no cause for anybody to step aside for anything or any reason at the moment, that I can tell you,” Lawal replied THE WHISTLER‘s inquiry.

He also addressed the negative reactions generated by the performance of singer Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, at the association’s recent 2023 Annual General Conference.

Lawal told THE WHISTLER in a phone interview that Portable was brought to the event by Cubana group, which was the headline sponsor of the AGC.

According to him, the NBA is a nonprofit organisation, however, its 7-day conference involved money to take care of several responsibilities, including the association’s ongoing medical and legal aid for members and non-members.

“We realised that most of our members are usually strained because of activities over the years and the conference is a place where they can rewind.

“As far as the Friendship Centre (during the AGC) is concerned, the NBA entered a partnership with Cubana Group and I want it to be put on record that we are appreciative of that partnership.

“The NBA is grateful that we have such a credible organisation that just wants to partner with us,” he said.

He said in the spirit of partnership, Cubana had gone ahead to make provision for their own artist, in this case, Portable.

“The least we could do is to allow him perform at the Velodrome where we were having the unbarred concert.

“NBA did not pay a dime for Portable to come and he did not come on the invitation of the NBA but was brought by a partner(Cubana),” he said.