Three decades on, the NBA makes history again, choosing Badejo-Okusanya as its 33rd leader

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has successfully completed its 2026 national officers’ election, despite experiencing internal disputes and a technical issue, with the results announced on Sunday.

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Chief Aham Ejelam, SAN, Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA, declared Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, the winner of the presidential seat, having secured a total of 12,317 votes, which represents 47.18 percent of the total votes cast.

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According to Ejelam, SAN, Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya's closest competitor, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, garnered 7,934 votes, accounting for 30.39 percent of the total votes, while the third candidate, Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 percent.

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The Electoral Committee Chairman disclosed that the presidential election recorded a total of 26,106 votes, with Mrs. Badejo-Okusanya's victory marking her as the 33rd President of the NBA and the second female to lead the association since its formation in 1933, a feat last achieved 34 years ago.

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Meanwhile, Mr. Afam Okeke emerged as the new General Secretary of the NBA, having secured 8,478 votes to defeat his opponents, and all elected officials will serve a two-year term from 2026 to 2028.

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Although President-elect Badejo-Okusanya was absent during the announcement of the results at the NBA headquarters in Abuja, her campaign team member, Mr. Aminu Gadanya, SAN, attributed her absence to a flight delay and conveyed her intention to extend an olive branch to all aggrieved candidates.

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Outgoing NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, noted that the election faced numerous challenges, including a cyberattack that nearly derailed the electoral process, and commended the association's resilience in the face of adversity.

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Osigwe, SAN, urged the winners to exhibit humility in their victory, cautioning against excessive celebration, and emphasized the need for healing within the association, stating that the Bar should ultimately emerge as the winner.

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The outgoing President also announced that the ECNBA would conduct an in-depth analysis of the challenges encountered during the election to develop recommendations that would bolster confidence in the association's electoral process.

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Osigwe, SAN, highlighted the importance of protecting the association's electoral integrity, particularly in the face of cyberattacks, and stressed the need to insulate the electoral process from such threats to ensure the Bar's independence.