Battle for Soul of the Bar as NBA Votes Today

*Osigwe: I have no preferred candidate, won’t vote 

*Dismisses rigging allegations 

*Ojo claims plot to impose candidate 

*Okpoko vows lawyers will resist interference in NBA’s affairs

Alex Enumah in Abuja and Wale Igbintade in Lagos

The intrigues, litigations, influence peddling, political maneuverings and regional colouration that have dogged the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2026 elections will come to an end today as thousands of lawyers across Nigeria log on to elect a new President and other national officers of the Association.

The finger pointing, accusations and counter accusations of manipulation is coming on the heels of the President of the NBA, Mr. Afam Osigwe, SAN washing his hands off any allegation of favouritism or manipulation, insisting that he has no preferred candidate and may not vote in the elections.

The election is turning out to be a defining moment for the country’s foremost professional legal body and a critical test of its commitment to democracy, institutional independence, transparency and the rule of law.
Ordinarily, NBA elections are routine democratic exercises that attract keen interest within the legal profession.
This year’s poll however, has been overshadowed by an unprecedented wave of litigation, regional politics, allegations of bias, disputes over the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), questions surrounding the electronic voting platform, debates over voter authentication and an extraordinary public disagreement between the NBA leadership and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

The irony has not been lost on many observers. An Association that has consistently held governments accountable for upholding constitutional democracy has spent months defending the integrity of its own electoral process.
The presidency, zoned to the Western Zone under the NBA’s power-rotation arrangement, is being contested by three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs): Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya and Mr. Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe.
Each candidate has presented a distinct vision for the future of the Association.

Akinboro is campaigning on rebuilding, repositioning and restoring the Bar. Akangbe’s “Elevate the Bar” agenda focuses on institutional reform and improved welfare for lawyers, while Badejo-Okunsanya has built her campaign around improving lawyers’ earnings, reducing the cost of legal practice, enhancing welfare and creating a more inclusive Bar.

Should she prevail, she would become the first woman to win as President of the Association.
Beyond the personalities, however, lawyers are voting on broader issues that will shape the future of the profession—judicial independence, constitutional democracy, justice sector reforms, lawyers’ welfare and the NBA’s role as the leading voice of the legal profession on national issues.

Much of the controversy has centred on the ECNBA, the independent body established under Section 10 of the NBA Constitution to conduct national elections.
Although the committee was duly constituted by the National Executive Council (NEC), its composition, appointment process and perceived independence quickly became subjects of intense debate.

 The controversy escalated after two presidential aspirants called on NBA President, Osigwe, to resign over remarks they interpreted as suggesting that he could not remain neutral because he has a constitutional right to vote.
 While Osigwe defended his position, insisting that every member is entitled to personal political preferences, critics argued that even the appearance of partisanship was enough to undermine confidence in the process.
The episode has reinforced calls for constitutional reforms that would further strengthen the independence of future electoral committees and shield them from allegations of undue influence.

Regional politics also resurfaced in a manner rarely seen in recent NBA elections.
The intervention of Egbe Amofin O’odua, which endorsed Akinboro as the consensus candidate for the Western Bar, reignited debate over the place of regional associations in NBA politics. While supporters defended the endorsement as part of the Bar’s established power-sharing arrangement, critics argued that leadership should emerge through open democratic competition rather than regional consensus.
Former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Mrs. Boma Alabi, SAN, echoed the sentiments of many lawyers when she described regional endorsements as outdated and inconsistent with universal suffrage, insisting that every lawyer should be free to choose a preferred candidate without ethnic or regional influence.

Predictably, the disagreements spilled into the courtroom.
Interim injunctions granted by the Oyo State High Court temporarily threatened the election after restraining members of the ECNBA from taking further steps towards conducting the poll.
Weeks of uncertainty followed until the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, nullified the proceedings of the lower court, holding that it lacked jurisdiction over disputes relating to the internal governance of an incorporated trustee such as the NBA.
The appellate court also condemned what it described as forum shopping and reaffirmed that such disputes fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.

In a significant concurring judgement, Justice Kenneth Amadi further held that the Attorney-General of the Federation has no constitutional authority to issue directives to courts in pending matters, reinforcing the principle of judicial independence.
The judgment effectively removed the final legal obstacle to today’s election.
Another major controversy arose from the intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who, following consultations with past NBA Presidents and other stakeholders, recommended postponement of the election, reconstitution of the ECNBA, replacement of the electronic voting service provider, introduction of National Identification Number (NIN) verification and a review of aspects of the NBA’s constitution.

Those recommendations sharply divided the legal community.
Supporters argued that the Attorney-General was acting in his capacity as Chairman of the General Council of the Bar to prevent a deeper institutional crisis.
The NBA leadership disagreed, insisting that the Association is an independent professional body whose internal affairs cannot be directed by the executive arm of government.

The disagreement raised important constitutional questions about the relationship between the NBA and the office of the Attorney-General questions that are likely to remain long after today’s election.
Electronic voting, one of the NBA’s most celebrated democratic innovations, also came under intense scrutiny.
Questions were raised about the transparency of the procurement process, the ownership structure and competence of the technology provider, as well as the security of the voting platform.

Although there has been no evidence that the platform itself has been compromised, the controversy has demonstrated that transparency is as important as technology in sustaining confidence in electronic elections.
Similarly, the proposal to introduce mandatory NIN verification generated sharp divisions.

While supporters argued that it would strengthen voter authentication, opponents, including Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, maintained that it was legally, administratively and technologically impossible to implement before today’s election.
After conducting its own risk assessment, the ECNBA concluded that introducing NIN authentication at the final stage could jeopardise the exercise by creating avoidable technical challenges.
To reinforce public confidence, the NBA invited domestic and international observers to monitor today’s election.
Equally significant was Thursday’s emergency meeting of the National Executive Council, the Association’s highest decision-making body between Annual General Meetings.

 After extensive deliberations involving past Presidents, branch chairmen, Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other statutory members, the NEC unanimously resolved that the election should proceed as scheduled and urged all eligible lawyers to participate peacefully while upholding the democratic ideals of the Association.
Regardless of today’s outcome, the controversies surrounding the election have exposed structural weaknesses within the NBA’s electoral framework that require urgent attention.

Many lawyers believe the Association should review the constitutional provisions governing the appointment of the ECNBA, improve transparency in procuring election technology, strengthen internal dispute-resolution mechanisms and remove constitutional ambiguities that repeatedly generate avoidable litigation.

The election has also highlighted the importance of effective institutional communication. Much of the mistrust that characterised this electoral season flourished because official information was often overtaken by speculation and competing narratives.
Whoever emerges victorious will inherit not only the responsibility of leading the Bar but also the task of healing divisions created during one of the most contentious election seasons in recent memory.

Fortunately, the Association already has an opportunity to turn the page. In a few weeks, thousands of lawyers from across Nigeria and beyond will converge on Port Harcourt for the 2026 NBA Annual General Conference at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium.
Beyond the policy conversations, continuing legal education and networking opportunities, the conference presents a timely opportunity for reconciliation, reflection and renewed unity.
When the votes have been counted and the celebrations and disappointments have faded, what will matter most is whether the Association remains united enough to continue speaking with one voice in defence of justice, the rule of law and constitutional governance.

Pleading his innocence and transparency of the election he is midwifing, Osigwe refuted allegations that he is behind the crisis rocking the scheduled election due to his alleged insistence on a particular candidate.
Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, the NBA boss who disclosed that the election is scheduled to commence after midnight of July 18, and closes by midnight of July 19, lamented that the election has been marred in a lot of controversy.
“People are arguing. Oh Mazi is trying to impose a candidate on the ballot. And yet there is a group of people that says we have just one person.

“Nobody should run against him. And we are saying if there is a sole candidate, the person goes on to vote. But if there is more than one person, we must have an election.
 “And yet we are the ones being accused of imposition. We want free and fair election”, he added.
When asked if he had a preferred candidate among the three contestants, the NBA president was emphatic, “No. I don’t any preferred candidate”, he said, “I will not even vote at the election.”
He disclosed that as part of efforts to ensure the election is free and fair, the association has invited the Department of State Service (DSS) to come with a technical crew.

“And we have invited foreign countries to bring their technical team to query our system and to monitor it. And one of those groups wrote again that the foreigners should stay away. What do they want? You accuse people. They open up their systems. And you say they should not look at it. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s all politics.
“And I want you to hold us accountable. Monitor this election. Report on it”, Osigwe said.
Speaking on Arise News yesterday, Mr. Ojo Adebayo, SAN, however, claimed that the crisis surrounding today’s poll was caused by the NBA President.

 “The President of the NBA is the one heating the polity. And if you ask me, I will tell you how,” he said.
According to Adebayo, the NBA president, “has not shown or displayed neutrality in the forthcoming election of the bar. He’s supporting, and he has displayed it openly, that he’s allowed to impose and to support one candidate out of the three.
“And who is this candidate? That’s Mrs. Oyinkosola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN”.
Besides Akinboro who is the anointed of the Egbe Amofin O’odua and Badejo-Okusanya, the third candidate is Lateef Akangbe Omoyele, SAN, which according to Adebayo are all eminently qualified for the office.

He argued that following the zoning of the presidency to the southwest, the Midwest region conceded the presidency to the Yoruba-speaking part, the main southwest, excluding the Midwest, to produce the candidates.
“That’s why all the three candidates running are Yorubas … the three of them, who are Yorubas, all of them submitted to the jurisdiction of the Egbe Amofin. They were interviewed, they were screened, they were evaluated.
 “And the Egbe Amofin came to the conclusion that Are Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, is the most eminently qualified. All of them are eminently qualified. He’s the most eminently qualified among the three candidates”, he said.

Also speaking on Arise News Channel yesterday, another leading senior member of the bar, Chief T. J. Okpoko, SAN, warned that the NBA would not bow to external pressure.

 “We will not accept any influence with the affairs of the NBA. I can tell you there are external influence but whatever interest that person is pushing he will not succeed,” he said.

 The senior lawyer disclosed that 137 members of the bar at an emergency meeting held on Thursday voted overwhelmingly for the election, with only 15, calling for its postponement with “no valid reason.”

 He added: “We have confidence in the Electoral Committee, those trouble makers will see what they have, but the integrity of the NBA remains intact.”

Okpoko who disclosed that he has 54 years experience at the bar and recalled the battles they have fought to bring the association to where it is today, warning against actions that would negatively affect the NBA.