NBA: UNICAL dean, Adamawa REC under investigation for misconduct

The Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, is currently on suspension. The Nigerian Bar Association has formed an ad hoc committee to look into the claims of sexual assault against him.

The NBA also filed complaints against Ifunanya Grant, a young attorney in Aba, and Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended resident electoral commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Adamawa State.

While Yunusa-Ari was being sued for his part in illegally announcing the winner of the supplementary governorship election in 2023 in Adamawa State while ballots were still being counted, Miss Grant was being sued over her reputation on social media for posting images and videos of herself smoking marijuana while bare-chested.

According to a statement made on Saturday by the NBA’s National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Lawal, the decision was made at the National Executive Committee’s most recent monthly meeting, which was presided over by Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) and attended by all of the NBA’s national officers.

The NBA NEC appointed an ad hoc committee to look into the accusations against the university don, according to the statement. Similar to this, the national officers discussed the disgraceful behavior of some legal professionals at their earlier monthly meeting.

“In accordance with the decisions of the national officers, the NBA has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee on behalf of Ifunanya Excel Grant, a young attorney from the Aba Branch who is infamously known as ‘the baddest lawyer’ on social media, and Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“Yunusa-Ari was petitioned over his part in illegally announcing the outcome of the supplementary governorship election in 2023 in Adamawa State while votes were still being counted, while the complaints against Miss Ifunanya center on her social media notoriety of posting pictures and videos of herself smoking marijuana while unclothed.”

According to the statement, until the LPDC issues its rulings following a fair trial, none of the lawyers who have filed petitions or are the subject of investigations are considered to have engaged in professional misconduct.

The NBA President emphasized the necessity for attorneys to maintain the highest standards of conduct wherever they may be found, and he reaffirmed that the current NBA leadership will not give up on purging the profession of the very few rotten apples that may be discovered.