Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya has been elected the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) after emerging victorious in the association’s national election.
Announcing the results at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday, July 19, Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, said Badejo-Okusanya secured 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total votes cast, to defeat her closest rival, Lateef Akangbe, who polled 7,934 votes (30.39 per cent).
The third presidential candidate, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, received 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 per cent of the votes cast. According to the ECNBA, 26,106 votes were recorded from 82,172 registered voters, giving a voter turnout of 31.86 per cent.
Other winners announced include Oghenero Okoro, who was elected First Vice-President with 11,024 votes; Afam Okeke, who won the position of General Secretary with 8,478 votes; Aghogho Gladys, elected Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes; and Chinelo Ofoegbunam, who emerged as Welfare Secretary after polling 14,911 votes.
Speaking after the declaration of the results, outgoing NBA President Afam Osigwe said the election overcame attempts to disrupt the process, including a cyberattack that forced the ECNBA to rebuild and migrate its ICT infrastructure to a more secure server.
“Our colleagues planned to truncate the election, but we stood firm. Every effort to derail this process failed. This is a trying time for the Bar. In the build-up to this election, many went to great lengths to rubbish the association,” Osigwe said.
He urged the newly elected officers to be gracious in victory and appealed to unsuccessful candidates to support the incoming leadership.
“To those who won, be magnanimous in victory; for those who lost, there is always another day. The cyberattack shows that we must do more in data protection. Let us collectively do things in an acceptable manner,” he said.
Osigwe added that the full circumstances surrounding the election would eventually come to light.
“Someday, the story will be told of how this election was almost sabotaged. We must continue to promote the rule of law, and the NBA, made up of lawyers, should be able to determine the course of its own electoral process. Where we made mistakes, I believe my successor will correct them.
“Winners should extend the hand of fellowship to those who did not succeed so that we can move the Bar forward together. The unity of the Bar cannot and should never be negotiated. As I bow out, I wish the new executive committee every success in office. May we never see the day when those who lead us are elected by people other than lawyers.”
He further disclosed that the ECNBA would carry out a comprehensive review of the election, particularly the challenges encountered during the exercise, with the aim of strengthening future NBA elections, improving cybersecurity, and enhancing the association’s electoral processes.
