Following her receipt of the Certificate of Return in Abuja, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President-elect, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has committed to a comprehensive review of the organization’s voting procedures. The 33rd leader of the Bar aims to tackle persistent claims of electoral manipulation, which she notes have damaged the reputation of the association despite lacking concrete evidence.
Badejo-Okusanya intends to host a collective dialogue with members to establish a more transparent and universally accepted system. She emphasized that the cycle of recurring disputes is detrimental to the association’s progress and that building consensus is vital for the future of the legal body.
Extending a gesture of goodwill to her fellow contestants, the President-elect expressed her desire to unite the Bar. She noted that while the electoral contest is finished, the passion shared by all candidates remains a valuable asset for the association’s development. She plans to meet with her opponents personally to discuss collaborative efforts.
The incoming leader, who secured victory with 12,317 votes against opponents Lateef Akangbe, SAN, and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, cited the late Dame Priscilla Kuye as her primary inspiration. Badejo-Okusanya stands as the second woman to lead the NBA in its 91-year history. During the certificate presentation, ECNBA Chairman Chief Aham Ejelam, SAN, defended the integrity of the process, noting that voter records were published to address allegations of misconduct and encouraged any dissatisfied candidates to utilize formal legal channels.
