UPDATED: NBA elects new executives as Badejo-Okusanya emerges 33rd president

Despite the internal crisis and initial technical glitch, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Sunday, announced the successful completion of its 2026 national officers’ election.

The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), Chief Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, the only female among the three presidential candidates, as the winner of the presidential seat.

Announcing results of the election on Sunday, Ejelam, SAN, declared that Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, polled a total of 12, 317 votes representing 47.18 percent to defeat her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who scored 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 percent of the total votes cast, based on the final tally on the Live Election Results dashboard maintained by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA).

The third candidate for the presidential election, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 percent, to emerge third in the contest.

The Electoral Committee Chairman disclosed that a total of 26, 106 votes were recorded for the highly disputed presidential election.

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With her victory, Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, will become the 33rd President of the legal association.

Meanwhile, Mr. Afam Okeke was elected the General Secretary of the legal body having polled a total of 8, 478 votes to defeat his opponents.

All the elected officials will be in office for a two-year period that will span from 2026 to 2028.

Although, the president-elect, Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, was absent when the result of the election was announced at the NBA headquarters in Abuja, a member of her campaign team, Mr. Aminu Gadanya, SAN, who revealed that she had a flight delay, declared her resolve to extend a “handshake of friendship” to all the aggrieved candidates.

In his remarks after the results were announced, the outgoing President of the NBA, Mazi Afam, Osigwe, SAN, noted that the election faced several challenges that included a cyberattack that almost derailed the electoral process.

“Many went to a grave extent to truncate the electoral process. Even though they maligned the process with their utterances but we held firm. Every effort to derail the process failed,” Osigwe, SAN, stated.

He urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory, warning they should celebrate moderately.

“This is a trying time for the Bar. Many persons may still go through great extent to rubbish the association. However, this is time for healing. At the end of the day, let the Bar be the winner,” Osigwe added.

He said the ECNBA will carry out an in-depth analysis, especially the challenges encountered, so as to come up with recommendations that will engender greater confidence in the association’s electoral process.

“The cyber attack shows that we must do more not only for data protection, but to protect our electoral integrity. We must insulate our electoral process from such activities.

“Someday the story will be told of how the ICT system had to be rebuilt and moved to a safer server to ensure that the election held.

“The Bar must always protect its independence and eternally determine the course of its electoral process,” the outgoing NBA President added.

The elections for all 13 national offices of the association recorded a low turnout: 26,184 voters participated, representing only 31.86 per cent of the total 82,172 registered voters.

The winners for the 12 other national offices of the association are as follows: Oghenero Okoro emerged as the winner of the post of first Vice President with a total of 11,024 votes (44.85 per cent) and Egya Nuhu John recorded 18,496 votes to emerge as second Vice President.

Third Vice President goes toPepple Irene with 19,200 votes while Aghogho Gladys Okpomor emerged as the assistant general secretary with 14,312 votes (56.76 per cent) out of the total votes cast of 25,214, while Esther Ifeoma Jimoh scored a total of 21,908 votes to emerge the winner of the post of treasurer as sole candidate.

Audrey Chinelo Ofoegbunam scored 14,911 votes to win the position of welfare secretary of the NBA, and Prince I. Azubuike emerged as publicity secretary having scored: 14,686 votes, followed by Lawrence Shegun Ayewa with l 91,021 votes

Assistant Publicity Secretary goes to Uwomano Anthony Junior Aki with 6,108 votes after defeating Hadiza Nasir Ahmad, Meti Monday Ukpeh and Lukman Oladimeji Jaiyeola in the election.