Nigeria, Feb. 1 -- The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said lawyers belonging to its branch in Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria, will not be part of its monitoring team during the 2023 general elections.

The President of the NBA, Yakubu Maikyau, said in Abuja on Tuesday that the decision was a sanction against the branch for its open partisanship regarding the forthcoming 11 March governorship election in the state.

Mr Maikyau criticised the branch's endorsement of Umo Eno as their preferred governorship candidate in the election.

Mr Eno is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking at the state of the nation address, Mr Maikyau, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), condemned "t...