A forum of Yoruba lawyers, Egbe Amofin Oodua, has called for the postponement of the Nigerian Bar Association’s presidential election, alleging that the association’s leadership abandoned agreed electoral reforms capable of ensuring a transparent and credible poll.
The group warned that proceeding with the election without implementing the proposed reforms could undermine confidence in the NBA’s electoral process.
Speaking at a press briefing in Ibadan on Friday, the Chairman of the Governing Council of Egbe Amofin Oodua, Mr Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), accused the NBA leadership of reneging on agreements reached with presidential candidates and other stakeholders to delay the election and introduce stronger voter authentication measures.
Olagunju, a former NBA General Secretary and immediate past Chairman of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, alleged that the association ignored a consensus to postpone Saturday’s election to allow the adoption of members’ National Identification Number-linked phone numbers for voter verification instead of the current email-based authentication.
He said the decision to proceed with the election had heightened concerns among members over the credibility of the exercise.
“We are calling on the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe (SAN), and the Electoral Committee of the NBA to postpone this election. The earlier agreement reached with the presidential candidates was that the election would be postponed to allow for necessary reforms and proper sensitisation of members,” Olagunju said.
He expressed disappointment that an emergency National Executive Council meeting allegedly reversed the earlier agreement despite objections from stakeholders.
“We were shocked when an emergency NEC meeting was convened to overturn that agreement. We believe it is a wrong decision because it does not reflect the wishes of the majority of members,” he said.
Olagunju argued that the electronic voting system, which relies largely on email authentication, remained susceptible to manipulation.
According to him, complaints over alleged manipulation of email addresses, voter profiles and one-time passwords had persisted since 2018.
“There have been persistent complaints about manipulation of email addresses, voter profiles and one-time passwords during previous elections. We cannot continue to repeat the same mistakes,” he said.
He urged the NBA to adopt NIN-linked phone numbers for voter authentication, insisting the measure would significantly reduce the risk of electoral fraud and strengthen the credibility of the election.
The senior advocate also accused the NBA leadership of failing to maintain neutrality, alleging that campaign materials of a presidential aspirant were openly distributed during previous NEC meetings.
“As President of the NBA, you are expected to provide a level playing field for every aspirant. Unfortunately, actions taken so far have created doubts about the neutrality of the process,” he alleged.
Olagunju further disclosed that Egbe Amofin Oodua had earlier instituted legal proceedings challenging the composition of the NBA Electoral Committee, arguing that its appointments did not comply with the association’s constitution.
He said although the Attorney-General of the Federation intervened to facilitate dialogue and electoral reforms, the recommendations had yet to be implemented.
Among the proposed reforms, he listed the use of NIN-linked phone numbers for voter verification, postponement of the election to allow adequate voter education, and broader electoral reforms.
He also claimed that while more than 250 members attended the emergency NEC meeting, 176 voted in favour of proceeding with the election, 15 voted against, while many others abstained.
According to him, the outcome did not reflect the true wishes of the majority of NBA members.
“The silent majority should not be oppressed. Many members chose to abstain because they were uncomfortable with the process. What we seek is credibility, transparency and fairness,” he said.
