Court Cases, Alleged Bias Threaten NBA’s July 20 National Elections

Fresh controversies have engulfed the upcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national elections, with multiple court cases, allegations of bias against the association’s leadership and disputes over zoning and consensus arrangements threatening to overshadow the 20th July presidential poll.

The election, which will produce a successor to the current NBA President, is expected to be contested by three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, Yemi Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro.

However, what began as a keenly contested three-way race has increasingly shifted to the courtroom, with litigation challenging the electoral process and raising concerns over the credibility of the exercise.

One of the major legal battles was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of Egbe Amofin O’odua, a Yoruba lawyers’ association, which is seeking to enforce the adoption of Akinboro as the sole consensus candidate for the Western Zone in line with the association’s zoning arrangement.

The suit followed the group’s decision to endorse Akinboro after the Midwest Bar, comprising Edo and Delta states, declined to participate in the presidential election, having produced the last two NBA presidents from the zone.

On 24 February 2026, Justice Y. S. Adekunle of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, granted an interim injunction restraining the NBA from recognising or processing nominations outside the consensus arrangement pending the determination of the suit.

Although the matter has since been adjourned indefinitely pending an appeal, the endorsement by Egbe Amofin led to the withdrawal of another aspirant, Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson, while Badejo-Okusanya and Akangbe refused to step down from the race.

In another development, Justice G. A. Opayinka of the Oyo State High Court on 5 March 2026, granted an interim order restraining the NBA from taking further steps towards conducting the 2026 national election.

The court also restrained the NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), and other defendants from constituting or supervising the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) pending the hearing of a suit filed by four lawyers challenging the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The suit was instituted by Ibrahim Lawal, Raymond Oki, Omotan Olusola Ogunmodede and Chief Gabriel Ojo Adekunle Ijalana.

Despite pending court cases and growing controversy, the ECNBA, chaired by Aham Ejelam (SAN), has set 20 July 2026 as the election date.

Adding to the controversy, presidential contenders Akinboro and Akangbe jointly petitioned the NBA Board of Trustees, demanding Osigwe’s resignation over what they described as his “open admission of bias” and alleged partisan conduct ahead of the election.

They argued that the NBA could not credibly advocate fairness and justice in society while tolerating actions that undermine confidence in its own electoral process.

Other lawyers and interest groups have also accused the NBA leadership and the ECNBA of favouritism, citing previous electoral disputes within the association, including controversies surrounding elections into the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).

Osigwe has, however, denied the allegations through his lawyer, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), describing the claims as speculative and without constitutional or factual basis.

According to the response, the ECNBA operates independently of the NBA President, and Osigwe’s visits to NBA branches across the country were part of his official responsibilities rather than campaign activities.

The response also dismissed allegations that the NBA President interfered in SPIDEL elections, insisting that decisions relating to the section were taken collectively at its Annual General Meeting.

Meanwhile, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has alleged that certain vested interests are attempting to manipulate the upcoming Nigerian Bar Association presidential election by trying to ensure that one candidate runs unopposed.

In a series of posts on X last week, Odinkalu alleged that Egbe Amofin O’odua had endorsed Akinboro and was seeking to prevent the other candidates from participating in the election.

He argued that such a move would undermine the association’s constitutional and institutional framework.

The human rights lawyer also alleged that certain interests threatened to seek the appointment of a sole administrator to oversee the NBA if their demands were not met.

He also urged lawyers to defend the association’s “One Lawyer, One Vote” electoral system, alleging that one of the presidential candidates intends to abolish it if elected.

“If you are a younger lawyer in Nigeria, there is a presidential candidate in this election who wants to abolish One Lawyer, One Vote if he wins. Ask yourself the question if that is what you want,” he said.

In a related development, a pressure group, Young Lawyers for Democracy, has opposed Egbe Amofin O’odua’s attempt to limit the presidential contest to a consensus candidate.

In a statement signed by its Director-General, Isa Tochukwu, the group insisted that the NBA belongs to all lawyers and not to any regional or political bloc.

It argued that universal suffrage within the NBA should not be sacrificed for consensus-based arrangements and vowed to defend members’ right to freely elect their leaders.