NBA Conference: 5 Remarkable, Trending Issues About Presidential Candidates at Event
- Nigerians were agog on social media following the kick-off of the 2022 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference
- The event was filled with a lot of glamour, razzmatazz, lights, cameras, and discussion, to mention but few
- The NBA conference witnessed the presence of top contenders for the 2023 presidency like Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and a host of others
Lagos, Victoria Island - The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference which was held at the Eko Hotels in Lagos on Monday, August 22 ended with remarkable and trending issues to discuss in the polity for a short while as 2023 draws closer.
Legit.ng reports that this year's annual NBA event appeared different from other events in the past as it happened on the eve of the 2023 election. The event attracted key presidential candidates of top political parties in the country.
Source: Twitter
Presidential candidates storm conference
Prominent among the candidates at the event were Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Bola Tinubu represented by his running mate, Kashim Shettima of the APC.
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Others at the event were the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dumebi Kachikwu, and his Social Democratic Party counterpart, Adewole Adebayo.
Highpoint of NBA Conference
But the high point of the conference was the speech by the candidates on their intention for the country.
While Peter Obi hammered on how Nigeria can be industrialized and how his government will work towards the ease of doing business, Atiku Abubakar stressed restructuring and creating a perfect business environment for Nigeria and Nigerians.
Most speakers stressed insecurity, unemployment, healthcare, education, and a failing economy, which resulted from poor leadership.
Shettima called on Nigerians to vote for their joint ticket because of their achievements as governors in Lagos and Borno states.
Kashim Shettima, however, said his achievement and that of Tinubu as state governors would be replicated at the federal level.
Trending, remarkable issues from event
There are other remarkable incidents that transpired at the event.
Obi, Atiku exchange pleasantries
As usual, Peter Obi's entrance generated serious cheers from the professional body even as his exchange of pleasantries with Atiku Abubakar awarded both men further honour and respect. A video in circulation has shown how the Labour Party candidate attempted to kneel in front of Atiku Abubakar to greet him, but Atiku was quick enough to meet him halfway down. He embraced Obi amid cheers from the crowd.
Tinubu's absence
Tinubu's absence from the conference has continued to generate reactions from Nigerians both on and offline. Majority of those who spoke with Legit.ng wondered why the APC presidential candidate didn't turn up for the event. While some blamed his alleged ill-health, others said he may not be mentally stable at this time to attend the event considering some of his viral videos online.
According to Monica Odachi, a Benue politician:
"Tinubu's absence is a sign that the former governor may not attend any debate ahead of the 2023 election. I'm sure his team must have seen that he is not okay to stand the heat.
"This would have been the best time to redeem his image in terms of what are being circulated on social media about both his physical and mental state. His failure to attend may have further put to question those things."
Legit.ng had reported that Tinubu has been trending in the media space over his public appearances. Videos and images showing a sick-looking Tinubu have flooded the internet lately. But his team has dismissed such reports, saying they were merely for the campaign and have nothing to do with Tinubu's physical appearance or state of mind.
Shettima's dress sense
Shettima's dress combination for the event has since raised questions with social media users engaging in what is called Shettima's challenge.
Shettima went to the event with a combination of suit, gym shoes, and a long red tie, stretching down from his neck. This is besides the oversized suit he wore.
Some Nigerians believe that the dress sense of the presidential candidates will tell if they are in tune with modern governance.
According to Reno Omokri in a tweet:
"This is Tinubu’s running mate at the NBA Conference today. Look at his feet. Who in his right mind wears a suit and tie and then puts on a pair of gym shoes to a conference?
“If Shettima does not know how to dress himself, how can he address Nigeria’s challenges?”
Atiku to award federal universities to states?
Atiku's speech on restructuring was interpreted to mean that under his government, the federal government will award all federal universities to states.
This has since been greeted with serious criticism even as Atiku has come out to deny ever intending to remove federal universities from the exclusive list.
In a statement signed by Atiku's media aide, Paul Ibe on Monday night, l assured that education will remain on the concurrent list as stipulated by the constitution.
He clarified that he was misquoted at the 62nd annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, stating that the remark credited to him was false and doesn’t reflect his position on education
Lawyers wear Obi's paraphernalia, cheer LP candidate
The conference went agog on Monday when Peter Obi arrived at the venue, and went straight to greet Atiku Abubakar and Kashim Shettima. Meanwhile, before then, some lawyers were seen on Peter Obi's caps and other paraphernalia to the event.
But responding on Channels TV, the NBA President, Olumide Akpata apologized for the group attempting to be partisan. He expressed shock that despite the warnings by the body ahead of the conference that nobody should cheer, support or boo any candidate, lawyers still went ahead with such a display.
Recall that the NBA conference which was held in Lagos on Monday, is the leading event of the NBA and the main feature of the annual calendar of the Nigerian legal profession.
At the event, young lawyers had gathered around Peter Obi in excitement and had displayed open support for the former Anambra governor.
Obi is known to have possessed a force that attracts young people to him where ever there is a political gathering.
It is expected that Nigerians will see more of the drama as soon as the campaign and debates kick off. The campaign is expected to start in September and will continue until the commencement of the national election.
Nigerians react to Bola Tinubu's absence at NBA conference
In another development, Nigerians have been reacting to the absence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the NBA conference in Lagos.
Many are concerned that the presidential candidate of the ruling APC deliberately stays away from such events where he will be scrutinised.
Some citizens are also of the opinion that a Tinubu presidency might mean he is always not available for state functions.
2023: Tinubu gets invited to join Atiku, Obi at a Polo tournament
Meanwhile, another major event will host the trio of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A polo tournament organised by Mr. Ahmed Wadada will also host other presidential candidates vying for the Aso Rock seat in 2023.
The organiser said the event is aimed at fostering understanding among the presidential candidate.
Source: Legit.ng
Adoyi Ali Ali Adoyi is a prolific writer and a graduate of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State. Adoyi holds a B.A Theatre and Communications Arts. He has bagged many awards both in academics and in journalism. Some of the awards are 10 years Journalism Merit Award, Best graduating student (Dept) Most Outstanding student (Faculty), and others. Adoyi can be reached here: adoyi.ali@corp.legit.ng
Segun Adeyemi (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Segun Adeyemi is a journalist with over 9 years of experience as an active field reporter, editor, and editorial manager. He has had stints with Daily Trust newspaper, Daily Nigerian, and News Digest. He currently works as an editor for Legit.ng's current affairs and politics desk. He holds a degree in Mass Communication (Adekunle Ajasin University). He is a certified digital reporter by Reuters, AFP and the co-convener of the annual campus journalism awards. Email: segun.adeyemi@corp.legit.ng.
