The controversy surrounding the recently concluded Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national election has taken a fresh turn, as a group of lawyers has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order to stop the swearing-in of the President-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, and other newly elected national officers.
Badejo-Okusanya emerged winner of the election after polling 12,317 votes, defeating Lateef Akangbe, SAN, and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN. She is scheduled to be inaugurated on August 21, 2026, when she will succeed the outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The election, conducted electronically, has been dogged by allegations of irregularities.
The legal challenge is contained in a pending suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1471/2026, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
In an amended application before the court, the plaintiff is asking for an order restraining the inauguration of the newly elected NBA leadership pending the determination of the suit.
In its original originating summons, ALDRAP sought to prevent the Attorney-General of the Federation from interfering in the NBA election. It also asked the court to declare that neither the AGF nor the NBA should interfere with the conferment of the Blue Silks title, an alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank introduced by the association for non-litigation lawyers.
The group further requested that the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) and the Law Society of Lesotho be appointed as independent observers for the NBA election.
In the additional reliefs filed on July 20, 2026, ALDRAP urged the court to join Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, and several other individuals and organisations as necessary parties in the suit.
Those listed include Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, Amnesty International (Nigeria), Yiaga Africa, and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).
The plaintiff specifically asked for “An order of interim/perpetual injunction restraining the 2nd Respondent (NBA), its agents, privies, National Executive Committee, or any persons claiming through them, from swearing in Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, or any other person as President of the Nigerian Bar Association or into any other National Office, until the final determination of this suit or further order of this court.”
The plaintiff also urged the court to order the maintenance of the status quo in the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) pending the final determination of the case.
Explaining the basis of the application, the lawyers’ association said there is an ongoing suit before the court challenging the validity, legality, and constitutionality of the processes that led to the 2026 NBA election. According to the association, the suit raises issues including alleged voter disenfranchisement, technical glitches on the electronic voting platform, non-compliance with the timetable approved by the NBA National Executive Council (NEC), and the application of constitutional principles under Section 134(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
The association further argued that the individuals and organisations it seeks to join as parties are necessary for the court to effectively determine the issues surrounding the election, particularly those relating to its validity and the planned transition to a new NBA leadership.
Meanwhile, the Administrative Secretary of ALDRAP, Jesse Williams Amuga, expressed concern over the conduct of the election. He noted that none of the election observers had publicly provided an account of their observations during the exercise, describing the silence as a development that raises questions about the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.
Amuga said, “Twenty-four hours after the alleged NBA elections, not a single international or domestic election observer has released any report to corroborate their observations of the e-voting infrastructure that both the NBA President and the ECNBA alleged that they deployed…Amnesty, YIAGA and TMG are afraid of soiling their respective reputations. If no independent observers are commenting on the alleged NBA elections, that speaks volumes.”
BACKSTORY:
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is the umbrella professional body for lawyers in Nigeria and one of the country’s most influential legal institutions. It plays a central role in promoting the rule of law, defending judicial independence, advocating legal reforms, and regulating the welfare and professional interests of legal practitioners. Its national officers, including the president, are elected periodically by members through nationwide elections.
In recent years, the NBA has adopted an electronic voting system (e-voting) for its national elections to encourage wider participation among lawyers across the country. While the system has generally increased accessibility, some election cycles have been accompanied by complaints over technical glitches, voter accreditation challenges, and concerns about transparency. The association has consistently maintained that its electoral process is guided by its constitution, electoral guidelines, and oversight mechanisms.
The 2026 NBA presidential election saw Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya emerge victorious after defeating fellow SANs Lateef Akangbe and Olumuyiwa Akinboro. However, shortly after the announcement of the results, allegations of irregularities, including claims of voter disenfranchisement, technical failures of the electronic voting platform, and non-compliance with aspects of the election timetable, began to surface.
The latest legal challenge was initiated by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), which had already filed a suit questioning aspects of the NBA’s electoral process. In its earlier application, the group sought judicial clarification on issues relating to the Attorney-General of the Federation’s role in NBA affairs and the recognition of its Blue Silks initiative—an alternative professional distinction introduced for non-litigation lawyers.
With the filing of additional reliefs seeking to halt the inauguration of the President-elect and other newly elected officers, the dispute has entered a new phase. The Federal High Court is now being asked to determine whether the election complied with legal and constitutional requirements before the planned leadership transition. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for the NBA’s internal electoral processes and governance.
