NBA to Hold Electronic National Election Despite Court Cases, Rigging Allegations

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) says it will proceed with its 2026 national officers' election on Saturday, despite legal challenges and allegations that the process is skewed in favour of a particular candidate.

NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), said the association has invited the Department of State Services (DSS), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and international observers to monitor the electronic election to ensure transparency.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Osigwe dismissed claims that the electoral process had been compromised, insisting that the seven-member Electoral Committee of the NBA was constituted through a transparent process approved by the association's National Executive Committee.

He, however, expressed concern over attempts to derail the election through litigation and what he described as unsubstantiated allegations capable of damaging the association's reputation.

The NBA had zoned its presidency to the Western region for the 2026 election, with three Senior Advocates of Nigeria—Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya and Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe—cleared to contest.

The election was previously threatened by court cases filed after Egbe Amofin O'odua, an association of Yoruba lawyers, sought recognition of Akinboro as the region's consensus candidate. Although two interim injunctions initially halted aspects of the electoral process, the Court of Appeal later set aside the restraining orders.

Osigwe said the election would go ahead as scheduled after the NBA's National Executive Committee reaffirmed its support for the process during an emergency meeting.

He also disclosed that one of the association's service providers was briefly arrested in the lead-up to the poll but has since been released, expressing hope there would be no further interference.

The NBA President said the electronic voting process would require verification using lawyers' enrolment numbers, email confirmation, one-time passwords and National Identification Number (NIN) verification to protect the integrity of the election.

He added that the association would review the circumstances surrounding the seizure of a laptop belonging to one of its service providers by the DSS.