Chidi Julius Lloyd, the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, has taken to social media to call out the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over its decision to invite social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to speak at its ongoing 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.
A former law lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, called the invitation inappropriate, adding that NBA’s annual conference should focus on serious legal discussions and important issues facing Nigeria’s justice system and democracy.
He made these comments in an interview on Wednesday, soon after VDM appeared at one of the conference sessions.
In a Facebook post titled “Shame on the NBA,” Lloyd said the association should stay focused on legal excellence, professional ethics, constitutionalism, and national development.
He said the NBA has always given lawyers, judges, and supporters of the rule of law a place to discuss important national issues.
“It is therefore deeply disappointing that the NBA Annual Conference, which should feature renowned legal luminaries, senior advocates, judges and policy experts, is now being reduced to an avenue for clout, content creation and social media theatrics,” he said.
Lloyd also criticised what he called attacks on security agencies during VDM’s appearance. He said members of the Armed Forces deserve respect for their service to the country.
“Inviting people like VDM to a platform meant for serious legal discussion, and letting that stage be used to insult members of the Armed Forces who risk their lives every day for our country, was the wrong priority,” he said.
“The Bar should not give up its seriousness just to go viral. The legal profession deserves better. Nigeria deserves better.”
The Emohua council chairman also questioned the choice of speakers at the conference. He said he was disappointed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, were not invited to speak.
Lloyd said the conference should have focused on strong discussions about electoral reforms and other key issues for Nigeria’s democracy.
He called on the NBA to focus on real discussions about electoral law, constitutionalism, the rule of law, and other important national issues, instead of what he called “tantrums” and social media-driven activities.
Lloyd also criticised the decision to invite Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, to the conference.
He questioned Obi’s record on local government elections during his eight-year tenure as governor of Anambra State, arguing that his participation at the conference should have been subjected to greater scrutiny.
“It is a shame that Peter Obi, who did not care to conduct a local government election in Anambra State for the eight years he was governor, was also invited to the conference to express his political interest,” Lloyd said.
The NBA’s 66th Annual General Conference is currently taking place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with lawyers, judges, politicians, policymakers and other stakeholders participating in various sessions.