Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A forum of Yoruba lawyers under the aegis of Egbe Amofin Oodua has called for the postponement of the Nigerian Bar Association's national election by a minimum of seven days, citing concerns over the transparency and credibility of the electoral process. The group made the demand on Thursday at the Aare Afe Babalola Bar Centre in Iyaganku, Ibadan, insisting that the extension would provide sufficient time for proper voter sensitisation and the implementation of agreed electoral reforms.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of Egbe Amofin Oodua, Chief Isiaka Olagunju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former General Secretary of the NBA, accused the association's leadership of reneging on an earlier agreement reached with presidential candidates and key stakeholders to postpone the election and introduce reforms. According to Olagunju, one of the major reforms agreed upon was the adoption of members' National Identification Number-linked phone numbers for voter authentication, replacing the current email-based authentication system. "We are calling on the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), and the Electoral Committee of the NBA to postpone this election. The earlier agreement reached with the presidential candidates was that the election would be postponed to allow for necessary reforms and proper sensitisation of members," Olagunju said.
He expressed disappointment that the NBA leadership allegedly insisted on proceeding with the election despite objections from several stakeholders, convening an emergency National Executive Council meeting to reverse the earlier consensus. "We were shocked when an emergency National Executive Council meeting was convened to overturn that agreement. We believe it is a wrong decision because it does not reflect the wishes of the majority of members," he stated. The senior lawyer argued that the current electronic voting system, which relies largely on email authentication, remains vulnerable to manipulation, with persistent complaints about the integrity of NBA elections since 2018. "What we are asking for is simple. Every lawyer has a registered phone number linked to a National Identification Number. Those should be adopted for authentication instead of relying solely on email addresses," he said, maintaining that adopting NIN-linked phone numbers would strengthen the credibility of the election and significantly reduce the risk of electoral fraud.
Olagunju also accused the NBA leadership of failing to maintain neutrality in the electoral process, alleging that some aspirants had been given preferential treatment and that campaign materials bearing the image of a particular presidential candidate were openly distributed during previous NEC meetings. He further disclosed that Egbe Amofin Oodua had earlier instituted legal action challenging the composition of the NBA Electoral Committee, arguing that the appointments did not comply with the association's constitution.
Despite commending the intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, in attempting to facilitate an amicable resolution, Olagunju lamented that the agreed reforms had yet to be implemented. "We sincerely appreciate the intervention of the Attorney-General of the Federation. He has done his best to encourage dialogue and proposed reforms that would strengthen the electoral process," he said. Among the reforms proposed, he listed the use of NIN-linked phone numbers for voter verification, postponement of the election to allow for sufficient voter sensitisation, and full compliance with agreed electoral reforms to guarantee a free, fair and credible poll.
The NBA, however, has maintained that the election will proceed as scheduled. The association's National Executive Council had earlier reaffirmed that there was no operational or logistical basis for postponing the election, and the Electoral Committee of the NBA has unequivocally affirmed its readiness to conduct the poll on Saturday. NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, has dismissed allegations that he was attempting to rig or interfere in the election, insisting that the Electoral Committee operates independently and does not take directives from him. The NBA has also invited the Department of State Services, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and international observers to monitor the electronic election.
The controversy surrounding the election has been further complicated by the reported arrest and subsequent release of the Managing Director of the NBA's election service provider by the DSS, as well as legal challenges seeking to halt the process. Despite these developments, the NBA remains determined to proceed with the election, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026. The outcome of the poll is expected to have significant implications for the leadership of the NBA and the direction of the legal profession in Nigeria.
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