Ezekwesili stated this on Friday on her verified Twitter, while urging the NBA to use “this period” to think of how the union could strengthen the principles of democracy in the country.
A former minister and human rights' activist, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has declared her withdrawal from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference which is billed to hold in Sokoto State over the murder of Deborah Samuel, a Shehu Shagari College of Education student.
Ezekwesili stated this on Friday on her verified Twitter, while urging the NBA to use “this period” to think of how the union could strengthen the principles of democracy in the country.
She tweeted, "I have decided to withdraw my Speaking commitment to @NigBarAssoc for its event holding in Sokoto. I was billed to speak from abroad via Zoom but even now will no longer do so.
"NBA should seize this moment to reflect on how relevant its actions are in a troubled democracy. This would have been my session at the @NigBarAssoc conference in Sokoto:
"I shall no longer participate. NBA owes citizens like #DeborahSamuel #EuniceOlawale #BridgetAgbaheme the judicial activism to enforce Justice.
"It is not late. Start now @OlumideAkpata . Thank you," she said.
The Nigerian Bar Association, Section of Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL) had planned to hold its much-awaited annual conference in Sokoto State.
The Chairman of SPIDEL, Monday Ubani, had said on Wednesday that the incident of Deborah’s murder should not make the lawyers withdraw from the conference, while arguing that the state government was not complicit in the ugly incident – a comment which had since attracted condemnation.
The conference which is scheduled to hold from May 22-26, 2022, has the theme “Rule of Law and Democratic Evolution in Nigeria.”