President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Olusanya (SAN), says the association will continue to hold governments accountable despite criticism over the conduct of its own recent election….
President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Olusanya (SAN), says the association will continue to hold governments accountable despite criticism over the conduct of its own recent election.
Speaking during an interview on TVC News, Badejo-Olusanya dismissed suggestions that the NBA had lost the moral authority to criticise elections and governance failures in the country because of the controversies surrounding its internal poll.
She acknowledged that the election was not flawless but argued that the challenges experienced did not diminish the association’s constitutional responsibilities.
“Nothing will take away our moral justification to be the watchdog of society,” she said.
“We will continue to improve our own internal systems, but that won’t prevent us from criticising elections.”
The NBA election, which saw only about 26,000 lawyers vote from more than 82,000 registered members, has generated widespread debate following reports of technical glitches, voter disenfranchisement and legal challenges.
Badejo-Olusanya maintained that while the process encountered difficulties, there was no credible evidence of rigging.
She also rejected suggestions that her relationship with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who is her younger sister, would affect the NBA’s independence under her leadership.
“My obligation is to the members of the NBA,” she said.
The president-elect further pledged that her administration would vigorously defend judicial independence, promote access to justice and strengthen the legal profession’s role in safeguarding the rule of law.
She said she wanted her tenure to be remembered for making the NBA “a voice for the voiceless” and a stronger defender of democratic values.
