Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor of Delta, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) on his successful election as the 31st President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Maikyau was announced President-Elect of the body following a virtual election conducted by a committee chaired by Professor Ayodele Akintunde.
Akintunde said while announcing the result of the poll on Sunday, that Maikyau scored 22,342 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Joe-Kyari Gadzama, who polled 10,842 votes.
Okowa described Maikyau’s emergence as eminently deserving and an inspiration to young lawyers, adding that with his antecedents in the past, the NBA was in safe hands.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, the governor said that Maikyau had over the years proven his mettle in the legal profession.
He urged him to bring his wealth of experience to bear not only in advancing the course of NBA but also the legal profession in general.
He assured the NBA President that his administration would continue to partner relevant authorities to ensure prompt administration of criminal justice system in Delta.
“On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I congratulate you, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, on your election as President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
“As a member of NBA’s Legal Profession Regulation Review Committee (LPRRC), you contributed immensely to the reform of the profession, which birthed the Legal Profession Regulation Bill.
“And, as the pioneer and current Chairman of NBA Welfare Committee, you midwifed the NBA-Law Pavillion Partnership, the NBA-NHIS scheme, and the NBA-Leadway Improved Life-Insurance scheme, making the welfare of lawyers a top priority.
“We recall your heroism as a young lawyer when you came on the national stage as a counsel in the Human Rights Investigation Commission of Nigeria popularly referred to as ‘Oputa Panel’, set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 as the country returned to democratic rule.
“As a cerebral Senior Advocate of Nigeria, you attained the pinnacle of legal practice in Nigeria through sheer hard work and distinction of character.
“Armed with these achievements and contributions to the bar, I have no doubt in my mind that the NBA will be in ‘safe hands’ with you,” Okowa stated.