Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Amnesty International has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government, demanding that it immediately withdraw what it described as unconstitutional directives allegedly issued by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), which sought to disband the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), postpone the association's national elections, and impose sweeping changes to its electoral process. The rights group described any attempt by the government to dictate or interfere with the governance and electoral processes of the NBA as an unjustifiable attack on the independence of the legal profession, the rule of law, and civic space in Nigeria.
In a statement published on Friday, 10 July 2026, Amnesty International expressed deep concern over the purported directives, which according to the NBA include the disbandment of the ECNBA, postponement of the elections, termination of the current election service provider, establishment of a caretaker committee, introduction of National Identification Number (NIN) verification for voters, and the "recalibration" of the NBA Constitution to remove universal suffrage. The rights group insisted that the scheduled election of the NBA's national officers must proceed as planned and that the federal government has no legal authority to issue directives on how the association conducts its elections or manages its internal affairs.
"The Nigerian Bar Association is an independent professional body, not an agency or department of government," Amnesty International stated. "Any such interference would be inconsistent with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and the country's obligations under international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of association and self-governance of professional organisations." The organisation called on the Nigerian authorities to immediately withdraw any such directives, respect the autonomy and independence of the NBA, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that the elections are conducted freely, fairly and without intimidation or political interference.
The controversy began when a document purportedly containing the report of a sub-committee and comments attributed to the Attorney General began circulating online. The document reportedly directed the NBA to postpone its national officers' election, dissolve the ECNBA, disengage its election service providers, and form a new electoral committee amid allegations of constitutional violations and electoral process bias. Fagbemi was said to have issued the directives after reviewing the report of a Peace Committee set up to resolve the crisis threatening the NBA elections, which was chaired by former NBA President Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).
However, the NBA, in a statement signed by its President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), has firmly rejected the alleged directives, describing them as unconstitutional, ultra vires the powers of the Attorney General, and an attempt to bring the independent body under federal control. Osigwe maintained that the Legal Practitioners Act does not empower the nation's Chief Law Officer to interfere in the association's internal electoral process, and that only the NBA's National Executive Council (NEC) has the constitutional authority to direct the postponement of the election.
The NBA also questioned the authenticity of the purported report, noting that it was not issued on the official letterhead of the Attorney General's office and that the association had not received any formal communication conveying such directives. The association further argued that the Attorney General, having convened the June 11 meeting as part of efforts to resolve the dispute, was at best a mediator and could not lawfully issue binding directives on the parties. The NBA stated that all its past presidents who attended the meeting, except Olanipekun, agreed that the Egbe Amofin suits were frivolous and should be withdrawn.
The disagreement stems from the controversy surrounding the NBA's 2026 national officers' election, which has been the subject of litigation by members of Egbe Amofin O'odua before the Oyo State High Court. Amid efforts to resolve the dispute, the Attorney General convened a stakeholders' meeting on 11 June 2026 involving representatives of the parties. According to the NBA, participants at the meeting agreed to establish a sub-committee whose sole responsibility was to liaise with the parties and facilitate the withdrawal of the pending court cases before reporting back to the larger meeting. The association argued that the sub-committee was never authorised to investigate the conduct of the NBA president or make findings against him, particularly as he is not a candidate in the election.
The NBA also criticised the sub-committee's alleged findings against its President, arguing that they breached the constitutional right to a fair hearing because he was never served with the memoranda relied upon before adverse conclusions were reached. It also questioned the neutrality of the sub-committee, contending that Olanipekun was unsuitable to lead the panel because of his involvement in the underlying dispute. The Electoral Committee of the NBA has also dismissed reports indicating that the elections had been halted, urging members to disregard what it described as an unauthenticated document circulating on social media.
Amnesty International's intervention has added significant international pressure on the Federal Government, with the rights group warning that any interference in the NBA's electoral process would constitute an attack on the rule of law and democratic governance in Nigeria. The NBA has maintained that its electoral process, being conducted by the ECNBA, would continue as scheduled on 18 July 2026. As the standoff continues, the legal community and civil society organisations are closely watching to see whether the government will withdraw the alleged directives or whether the NBA will proceed with its election in defiance of the Attorney General's purported orders.
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