Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya has been elected the 33rd president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) after defeating two other candidates in the association’s national election.
Aham Ejelam, chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), announced the results on Sunday at the NBA national secretariat in Abuja.
Ejelam said Badejo-Okusanya secured 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total votes cast, to defeat Lateef Akangbe, who polled 7,934 votes or 30.39 per cent.
Olumuyiwa Akinboro finished third in the presidential race with 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 per cent of the votes cast.
According to the ECNBA, 26,106 votes were cast from 82,172 registered voters, representing a voter turnout of 31.86 per cent.
The election also produced Oghenero Okoro as first vice-president with 11,024 votes, Afam Okeke as general secretary with 8,478 votes, Aghogho Gladys as assistant general secretary with 14,312 votes, and Chinelo Ofoegbunam as welfare secretary with 14,911 votes.
Afam Osigwe, president of the NBA, stated that after the announcement that the election survived attempts to disrupt the process, including a cyberattack that compelled 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 a great extent to rubbish the association,” Osigwe said.
He urged the newly elected officers to be magnanimous 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 cyber attack shows that we must do more in data protection. Let us collectively do things in an acceptable manner,” Osigwe said.
He added, “Someday, the story will be told of how this election was almost sabotaged.
“We must be able to promote the rule of law, and the NBA, made up of lawyers, should be able to determine the course of its electoral process. Where we made mistakes, I believe my successor will correct them.
“Winners should extend the hands of fellowship to those who lost and have a united front to move the Bar forward.
“The unity of the Bar cannot and should never be negotiated. As I now bow out, I wish the new EXCO all the very best in office.
“May we never see the day when those who lead us will be elected by people other than lawyers.”
Osigwe also said the ECNBA would carry out a comprehensive review of the election, focusing on the challenges encountered during the exercise to strengthen future NBA elections and improve the association’s cybersecurity and electoral process.
