NBA Port Harcourt postpones election indefinitely amid lawyer protests

The Port Harcourt branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has indefinitely postponed its scheduled elections following protests by disgruntled lawyers. The election, which was slated for Friday, July 24, 2026, was thrown into disarray as voters voiced strong objections, alleging manipulation of the electoral process.

The protest prompted a heavy security presence at the NBA House in Port Harcourt, the venue for the election, with authorities attempting to maintain peace and prevent any violence. Despite efforts by some officials to placate the aggrieved lawyers, the ongoing protest led to the decision to postpone the polls indefinitely.

As of the time of reporting, the NBA committee had not announced a new date for the election. One of the candidates vying for the position of Social Secretary, Chilezie Orlu-orlu, specifically alleged that the Electoral Committee failed to adhere to the branch's bye-laws. He pointed to the committee's failure to publish the register of voters well in advance of the election.

“

To shock everybody yesterday night around 10:45p.m. to 11p.m., they published a final voters list. Meanwhile, we have never had any conversation as to the modalities for the election and the bye-law says if you’re publishing a final voters list you must give 14 days before the election within which you would have spoken to members giving them modalities, they bring their agents to do the final briefing before we will get ready for election.

"To shock everybody yesterday night around 10:45p.m. to 11p.m., they published a final voters list. Meanwhile, we have never had any conversation as to the modalities for the election and the bye-law says if you’re publishing a final voters list you must give 14 days before the election within which you would have spoken to members giving them modalities, they bring their agents to do the final briefing before we will get ready for election," Orlu-orlu stated.

He further expressed dissatisfaction, adding, "Yet he published it and said elections must hold this morning. The publication assuring us for this election came out last night as well as the final voters’ list. And we are saying that that is not what it should be. We are not satisfied." The postponement aims to prevent any potential breach of peace stemming from the unresolved grievances.

“

Yet he published it and said elections must hold this morning. The publication assuring us for this election came out last night as well as the final voters’ list. And we are saying that that is not what it should be. We are not satisfied.