Badejo-Okusanya leads Nigerian Bar Association presidential poll as controversy swirls

Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is poised to become the first female president of the Nigerian Bar Association following a strong early lead in the ongoing election. As of Saturday afternoon, she had secured 4,860 votes, representing 41.77% of the ballots counted.

Her closest competitors, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, trailed with 3,851 votes (33.10%) and 2,924 votes (25.13%), respectively. The early results, based on 11,600 votes cast, suggest a clear path for Badejo-Okunsanya if the trend continues.

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The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association operated independently and took no instructions from me.

The election has been marred by controversy, with some candidates and stakeholders questioning its integrity and calling for postponements. These concerns were amplified by allegations of attempts to rig or interfere in the election. However, NBA President Afam Osigwe has vehemently denied these claims. He stated that the Electoral Committee operates independently and dismissed suggestions that he favored a particular candidate as politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

Osigwe asserted that allegations of election manipulation within the NBA have never been proven in court. He also downplayed the possibility of his personal voting preference influencing the election's outcome, emphasizing the independent nature of the electoral process.

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The allegations are politically motivated and unsupported by evidence.