The crisis rocking the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) took a new turn on Monday as a suit against the leadership came up for hearing at the Delta State High Court in Orerokpe.

The suit No. HOR/13/2024 filed by Echeho Godfrey contests the authority of NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, SAN to preside over the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting where the dissolution of the SPIDEL Executive Committee was approved.

When the matter came up before Hon. Justice Joe Egwu, a two-time former NBA National Officer, the claimant Godfrey appeared in person while the defendants – Maikyau and two others – were absent and unrepresented.

Justice Egwu, clearly displeased that his earlier order was disobeyed, questioned where the elders of the Bar were to intervene in the escalating crisis. The Judge wondered why senior lawyers had not stepped in to resolve the impasse.

Earlier in the day, Godfrey filed an application seeking to set aside the NEC’s actions of February 29th regarding SPIDEL which he argues were undertaken without proper authority and in violation of due process.

The court has now fixed April 9th, 2024 to hear all pending applications, including Godfrey’s request to nullify the decisions taken against SPIDEL at the controversial NEC meeting in Jos.