Shortly after news went out that lawyers complained that their names were hidden from their branch voters list but was found on the database, the hidden names were deleted from the website.
This has come as an embarrassment to many lawyers whose names were not listed on the verification list. A further check revealed that those names were not transferred to the voters list but were completely removed from the portal. This is bad news as voting is slated to commence in less than 16 hours.
Some lawyers have been unable to find their names listed in their branch or any other branch when they search their names under their branch but where able to find their name when they click on the arrow in the menu (top right) which shows another drop down menu that has two options
Check by Branch
Check Verification data
When you search some names with Check by branch, some names will not be found but when you search the names with Check verification data, the details of the names appear even with an indication of their branch. Now those names are suspiciously missing
Again the readiness of the ECNBA to conduct the election which has been postponed three times has come to question. The ECNBA has given no explanation to the suspicious removal of the hidden names on the platform.
Again,the Gombe branch of the Nigerian Bar Association Has written the ECNBA over the exclusion of more than half of its verified members on the list. Many other branches are gearing up for a showdown with the ECNBA for excluding their members from the voters list.
The ECNBA has so far done a good job taking into consideration the pressure this whole electioneering process has put them. I know this year’s election committee will definitely be voted as the hardest committee so far in NBA’S recent history. They deserve some accolades.
Going forward, since the list of verified candidates were released, some some issues have cropped up from people who complied with the verification process who could not see their names on the list to people whose details were missing.I sincerely hope that ECNBA and Crenet anticipated these problem and will provide solutions to them before the voting begins.
Another complaint about the verification list that calls for urgent attention is the complaints of those whose details are on the data base but not listed in any branch.
ECNBA and Crenet released two batches of names listed according to branches with the following instructions:
The final list of verified voters is hereby published and made available for members to access to confirm their status. It is important to note;
Only names in the list of members submitted by branches can be found on this final verified list
Only names of members who participated in the verification exercise can be found on this final verified list.
Members may check their verified names on either the BATCH A verified list or BATCH B verified list.
To confirm verification status, members are advised to follow the following steps;
Check your information by entering your Supreme Court enrollment number in the appropriate column
You may check your information under your branch
Some lawyers have been unable to find their names listed in their branch or any other branch when they search their names under their branch but where able to find their name when they click on the arrow in the menu (top right) which shows another drop down menu that has two options
Check by Branch
Check Verification data
When you search some names with Check by branch, some names will not be found but when you search the names with Check verification data, the details of the names appear even with an indication of their branch.Now those names are suspiciously missing
The questions now become,
What is the status of these names that are hidden in the branch list but can be found on the verification data?
Is it an issue to worry about, if not, why are those names not listed in any branch?
What are these people supposed to do if it is a problem to avoid being disenfranchised?
To ensure transparency and proper voters’ education, ECNBA and Crenet must answer the three questions above with an unambiguous explanation of why those names were hidden from the branches.