The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has shifted its election due to commence midnight of August 6 to August 19 and August 20 due to difficulties encountered by members with the verification process.
The NBA President, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN), announced this on Monday in Abuja at a press conference.
Mr Mahmoud said the shift was due to wide spread complaints by members about the security of the verification process being undertaken by Chams Plc.
He said upon the review of the process so far, it became necessary to disaggregate the entire electoral process into three stages: pre, during and post election.
Mr Mahmoud further said it also became pertinent to appoint a new service provider to manage a more secured verification process that would strengthen the confidence of members in the electoral process.
To this effect, he said that the NBA appointed CRENET to undertake the development and deployment of sophisticated technology with high level securities to ensure that all members were duly verified.
“To ensure that our members are not disenfranchised during the electoral process, the NBA has instructed CRENET to suspend the current verification process and introduce a simplified process.
“This is to enable all outstanding members eligible to vote, but unable to verify their details to do so through a simplified form that will be made available for completion and submission online.”
He explained that based on the introduction of the new process, the electoral committee would reopen the verification process on Aug. 8.
According to him, each eligible member of the association should complete their verification form between August 8 and August 11.
The NBA boss said that the reconciliation of verified data by CRENET would be done by August 11 and August 15 while publication of the final voter list would be out by August 16.
Mr Mahmoud added that transfer and testing of the voting platform would be done on August 18 while the election proper would hold on August 19 and August 20.
The president affirmed NBA’s commitment to conduct free, fair and credible election, adding that he was aware that the election ought to hold in July but the shift would be rectified by congress.
He said Chams had so far verified 5,500 members who were not to take part in the fresh verification to be done by CRENET.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee, Auwalu Yadudu has refuted reports that he had resigned his position as chairman of the electoral committee.
Mr Yadudu denied authoring the resignation letter which had his signature, adding that it was forged by mischief makers.
He said the NBA would investigate and punish those responsible for issuing and publishing the purported resignation letter.
