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Renowned Nigerian legal expert, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, was elected as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association following a highly competitive vote that faced technical issues, claims of voters being excluded, and demonstrations by certain senior attorneys concerning the fairness of the procedure.

Badejo-Okusanya overcame two other SANs, Lateef Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, in the NBA’s 2026 national officers’ election, which faced postponement due to technical issues with the electronic voting system and reports of a cyber intrusion.

The head of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Aham Ejelam (SAN), revealed the outcomes at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, stating that Badejo-Okusanya received 12,317 votes, which accounts for 47.18 percent of all votes cast.

Akangbe finished in second place with 7,934 votes (30.39 percent), whereas Akinboro obtained 5,855 votes (22.43 percent).

As per Ejelam, 26,106 votes were cast in the election, which faced criticism from certain candidates and association members due to the challenges voters encountered while trying to vote.

Following her rise, Badejo-Okusanya is now the second female to head the NBA, succeeding Mrs. Priscilla Kuye, who was in charge from 1991 to 1992.

She will have a two-year term starting in 2026 and ending in 2028.

Other national officials elected include Oghenero Okoro, who became First Vice-President with 11,024 votes; Afam Okeke, who was chosen as General Secretary with 8,478 votes; Aghogho Gladys, who secured the role of Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes; and Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam, who was selected as Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes.

Badejo-Okusanya was not present when the results were revealed. Nevertheless, a representative from her campaign team, Aminu Gadanya (SAN), explained her absence as due to a flight delay and mentioned that the president-elect is determined to offer a “handshake of friendship” to every candidate who felt wronged, for the sake of unity.

Following the announcement of the results, the former NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), stated that the election endured efforts to disrupt the procedure, such as a cyber attack which compelled the electoral committee to reconstruct and transfer its ICT system to a more secure server.

Our colleagues intended to cut short the election, but we remained resolute. All attempts to interfere with this process were unsuccessful.

“This is a challenging period for the Bar. In the lead-up to this election, numerous individuals went to extreme measures to discredit the organization,” he stated.

He encouraged the newly elected officials to show generosity in their success and requested those who did not win to back the new leadership.

To those who triumph, show kindness in your success; for those who fall, there is always another opportunity.

“The cyber attack highlights the need for improved data security. Let us work together to handle matters in a responsible way,” Osigwe stated.

He stated, “One day, the tale will emerge about how this election was nearly undermined.”

We need to be capable of advancing the rule of law, and the NBA, composed of legal professionals, should have the ability to shape its electoral procedures. Regarding the errors we committed, I am confident my successor will address them.

Victors should offer a gesture of camaraderie to those who fell short and present a unified stance to advance the Bar.

The cohesion of the Bar must not and cannot be compromised. As I step down, I extend my best wishes to the new executive in their role.

Let us hope never to witness a time when those guiding us are chosen by individuals other than lawyers.

Osigwe also revealed that the election committee will carry out an in-depth assessment of the electoral procedures, especially the issues faced, with the aim of enhancing trust in upcoming NBA elections and boosting the association’s cybersecurity and electoral accuracy.

Akangbe kicks

Akangbe (SAN), nevertheless, has dismissed the election process, calling it “chaotic” and claiming that thousands of legal professionals were prevented from voting due to the malfunction of the electronic voting system.

In a statement released on Saturday, Akangbe expressed gratitude to attorneys throughout the nation for their commitment to take part in the election despite ongoing technical issues, mentioning that numerous members remained awake for two straight nights in vain efforts to vote.

He praised the 141 branches of the NBA for organizing legal professionals and assisting them during what he referred to as a turbulent election process.

As he stated, although some attorneys eventually managed to cast their votes, the vast majority were stopped from doing so by a system that consistently malfunctioned, leading to extensive voter suppression.

Akangbe challenged the ECNBA’s choice to shift the election date from July 20 to July 18, which was done without the consent of the National Executive Council.

He also stated that an agreement made on July 15, 2026, with the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, to delay the election by a week in order to educate members about a new SMS-based voting verification system, was not followed through.

As he stated, the ECNBA altered the verification procedure from email confirmation to SMS verification just two days prior to the election, causing over 82,000 certified attorneys to utilize a system they had not tested or learned about.

Akangbe mentioned that the platform crashed during the first hour of voting, pointing out that while the ECNBA blamed the issue on a coordinated cyberattack, his view was that this explanation did not resolve the platform’s insufficient capacity and poor readiness.

He claimed that cyberattacks on electronic voting systems are predictable dangers and should have been considered by conducting thorough stress tests and ethical hacking prior to implementation.

The senior lawyer also revealed that he was personally unable to cast his vote, even though he claimed that the ECNBA chairman and the NBA President made repeated attempts to help him by sending several access links, none of which functioned.

“If the head of the ECNBA and the association’s President couldn’t get the system to function for a presidential candidate, what about the regular member who had no one to reach out to?” he questioned.

When comparing earlier NBA elections to the 2026 process, Akangbe noted a substantial decrease in involvement.

He mentioned that approximately 58.61 percent of those who were eligible to vote took part in the 2022 NBA election, whereas the participation rate was 56.4 percent in 2024.

As per his statement, in the 2026 election, with 82,164 registered voters, the ECNBA’s data showed that roughly 27 percent of qualified lawyers cast their votes.

He argued that the low participation was not due to voters’ lack of interest but rather because of “systemic issues, platform breakdown, untested authentication updates, and the decision to hold an election that wasn’t properly prepared.”

Akangbe further claimed that there were reliable reports indicating that certain people cast multiple votes, sparking worries about the election’s credibility.

He emphasized that each complaint, screenshot, and report from lawyers who couldn’t cast their votes was being recorded and kept, noting that responsibility for the election’s management was unavoidable.

Reiterating his dedication to change inside the organization, Akangbe stated that his campaign has consistently focused on enhancing the NBA and maintaining its transparency, responsibility, and respect within the legal field.

“The work persists. The struggle for a Bar that is open, responsible, and deserving of the profession it embodies continues. And I am not leaving,” he stated.

Lawyers protest

Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) expressed disapproval of the recently concluded election, claiming that the procedure was devoid of credibility, openness, and impartiality.

On a post to his X account on Sunday, Okutepa stated that he has lost confidence in the NBA as a professional organization, alleging that its leadership has forsaken the values of honesty, fairness, and proper procedure.

“I no longer believe in the Nigerian Bar Association as a professional body for lawyers,” he wrote.

As stated by the senior attorney, “Credibility, impartiality, truthfulness, and ethical standards have all vanished from the NBA, its operations, and its internal politics.”

Okutepa claimed that numerous attorneys, who often criticize violations of due process by government bodies, stayed quiet about what he called irregularities in the NBA election.

“The most frustrating aspect for me is the hypocrisy of certain outspoken legal professionals who constantly point out faults and express dissatisfaction with the decisions and actions of government bodies… yet remained silent about the procedures involved in the recently completed NBA championship,” he stated.

He stated that the ECNBA lacked both expertise and autonomy, claiming it was controlled to achieve a specific result.

These groups of lawyers failed to recognize the incompetence and unlawful nature of the ECNBA’s structure, as well as the absence of independence within the so-called ECNBA.

He said the ECNBA was directed via telepathy to achieve a specific result.

Okutepa additionally claimed that the protocols previously established for managing the election were discarded in favor of a favored candidate.

He stated, ‘The procedures that were decided upon were discarded in favor of methods to create who the cabals desire.’

Calling the result a “coronation” instead of an election, the senior lawyer stated that the validity of any election relies on the fairness of the procedure that precedes it.

A legitimate election relies on the trustworthiness of the procedures involved in conducting it.

“In this year’s NBA election, each step in the process that led to the fraudulent coronation was carefully controlled and biased to achieve the false result,” he stated.

He also raised doubts about how lawyers responded to technical problems that occurred during the NBA election, drawing a parallel to earlier criticisms leveled against the Independent National Electoral Commission regarding issues faced during elections.

For me, I have also lost trust in the sincerity and ethical standards of those who were extremely vocal and warned of severe consequences regarding the glitch in the INEC portal.

“Those same groups of attorneys are now justifying the error in the NBA portal,” he wrote.

Okutepa additionally stated that a greater number of attorneys did not cast their votes compared to the amount officially recorded as having taken part in the election.

He ended by stating that the election had altered his view of certain individuals in the legal field.

“these nba elections showed me how empty and superficial many of the people who speak out and insult politicians really are,” he wrote.

Another legal professional, Adepeju Jaiyeoba, stated that although the result of the recently held NBA presidential election demonstrated the majority’s preference, issues regarding the legitimacy of the voting process should not be overlooked.

On a post via her social media account, Jaiyeoba mentioned that the debate around the election was not primarily focused on the final victor but rather on the fairness of the procedure.

“Nothing can hinder the determination of the majority. If Mrs. B was meant to win, hold the election a million times, the outcome would remain unchanged,” he wrote.

Nevertheless, she asserted that the primary concern stemming from the election was its legitimacy.

“The issue that comes up from yesterday’s events is more about trust, and everyone was impacted,” he stated.

Jaiyeoba revealed that he did not get a trial email or a text message prior to the election, but mentioned that numerous attorneys might not have closely checked their phone numbers, assuming that email verification would still be available, as it was in past NBA elections.

“I didn’t receive any trial email or text message, but I also understand that the level of seriousness people would show in verifying their phone numbers would be different if they knew it was the only method available, rather than thinking they had choices and depending on the effectiveness of their emails as they did in past elections,” she said.

As she stated, after the ECNBA chose to use only phone numbers for voter verification, attorneys should have been provided another chance to verify or modify their contact information.

“When it was decided that verification would be based solely on phone numbers, individuals should have been given the opportunity to reverify their numbers and enter or correct them,” she stated.

She mentioned that this action would have removed any remaining uncertainties regarding the procedure.

“Even your team will benefit from it, as it will eliminate some ‘what-ifs’ and simplify problems. The moment the rules were modified, the chance to re-establish the method to depend on became significant. That continues to be a weakness in this election,” she stated.

Although she had doubts about the procedure, Jaiyeoba praised the election’s victor and encouraged her to adopt a more inclusive approach in her leadership.

“My heartfelt congratulations to Mrs. B. Please urge her to show generosity in her success and collaborate with other participants for the improvement of the Bar,” she wrote.

She further encouraged the new NBA leadership to continue developing the concepts that emerged throughout the campaign.

Pinheiro urges unity

Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) has called on the incoming president, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), to prioritize the reintegration of the association as she gets ready to take charge.

In a message of congratulations on Sunday, after Badejo-Okusanya’s election, Pinheiro praised her becoming the first female to be directly chosen by NBA members to head the organization, calling her win a significant event in the Bar’s history.

He showed belief in her leadership skills, noting that she has continually exhibited outstanding performance, bravery, and openness during her time in the legal field.

In expressing his congratulations to the incoming president, Pinheiro stated, “Your election is not merely historic; it reflects your capability, honesty, and the trust placed in you by members of our distinguished organization.”

He warned that she would be assuming the leadership of an organization dealing with substantial internal conflicts.

The establishment is currently divided along various dimensions: age-based, ideological, and occasionally personal.

“Addressing these divisions and creating a genuinely united, inclusive, and mission-focused Bar should be central to your priorities,” he stated.

As per Pinheiro, reestablishing unity within the NBA is crucial for the organization to properly fulfill its duties toward the legal profession and the nation.

“A unified Bar is essential for safeguarding the rule of law, the well-being of legal professionals, and the promotion of justice and sound governance within our country,” he said.

He highlighted Badejo-Okusanya’s rise as a significant milestone, pointing out that while Kuye held the position of NBA President in 1991 after coming from the role of Vice-President, Badejo-Okusanya was the first woman to be elected directly by the association’s members to head the NBA.

Pinheiro committed his backing to the new administration, conveying hope that the President-elect would guide the NBA toward a more inclusive and forward-thinking direction.

“I can rely on my support as you strive to create a more robust, cohesive, and efficient Nigerian Bar Association,” he stated.

Atiku congratulates Badejo-Okusanya

The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, extended his congratulations to Badejo-Okusanya following her election as the 33rd NBA President.

On a post shared via his X account on Sunday, Atiku highlighted Badejo-Okusanya’s selection as an indication of the trust placed in her leadership by professionals in the legal field.

He wrote, ‘I congratulate Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN) on her selection as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association.’

As stated by the former Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, her win also marks another significant achievement for women in the legal field.

“Her win demonstrates the Bar’s trust in her leadership and signifies another important step forward for women in the legal field,” he said.

Atiku referred to the Nigerian Bar Association as an essential body in the progression of democracy in Nigeria, encouraging its incoming leadership to stay firm in upholding the rule of law.

“The NBA continues to play a crucial role in upholding constitutional democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and judicial independence,” he stated.

He called on Badejo-Okusanya and her leadership team to fulfill their duties boldly, autonomously, and with a dedication to fairness.

Atiku further stated, ‘I call on the new leadership to maintain these principles with bravery and autonomy, while ensuring fair access to justice for every Nigerian.’

The former vice president extended good wishes to the new NBA president and her staff for a productive term.

“I hope Mrs Badejo-Okusanya and her team have a productive and meaningful period in their role,” he stated.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).