The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has apologized to Nigerians for cheering and supporting Peter Obi at the just concluded NBA conference.
NBA President, Olumide Akpata, while interacting with Reuben Abati on Arise TV apologized after being told by the TV host that some lawyers actually stormed the conference on Peter Obi’s caps.
Reacting, Olumide who feigned ignorant of the development said he was surprised to have heard such, stating that NBA had before the event warned lawyers to maintain decorum and not to cheer or show support for their candidates at the event.
He, however, apologized on behalf of the professional body if such actually happened.
He said:
“I’m.really surprised and shocked that there were lawyers at the conference who were donning campaign paraphernalia and attires for candidates of their choice.
“We had earlier sent out warnings to our members. We asked them to apply decorum, not to boo, not to cheer and we set up guidelines for that session, and I actually hearing this for the first time too that there were lawyers broke those rules.
” I apologize. I apologize on behalf of the Nigerian Bar Association, just to let you know that it was not our intention. We put the rules in place, but the constitution also allows for freedom of expression. So it is very difficult to curtail those freedoms. indeed, we can only try to put the rules to curtail these freedoms within the bounds of our own conference but we have to be careful also not to be seen to have fettered the right of any individual