Abuja: Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has been elected the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Badejo-Okusanya secured 12,317 votes, accounting for 47.18 percent of the total votes, surpassing her closest competitors, Mr Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who garnered 7,934 votes, and Mr Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, with 5,855 votes.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the newly elected national officers include Oghenero Okoro, who emerged as the First Vice President with 11,024 votes, and Afam Okeke, who was elected as General Secretary with 8,478 votes. Aghogho Gladys won the position of Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes, while Chinelo Ofoegbunam was elected as Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes, among other successful candidates.
The results were announced by the Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, SAN, at the NBA headquarters in Abuja after the elections concluded early Sunday.
Outgoing NBA President, Mr Afam Osigwe, SAN, remarked that attempts by some colleagues to disrupt the election process were unsuccessful. He noted that efforts to derail the process were firmly resisted and described the election period as challenging for the association, with some trying to discredit it.
Osigwe urged the winners to be generous in victory and encouraged those who did not succeed to remain optimistic, emphasizing the possibility of future opportunities.
He highlighted that the cyberattack during the elections indicated the need for enhanced data protection and called for collective efforts to manage the association’s affairs appropriately.
Osigwe expressed confidence in his successor’s ability to address any mistakes made during the process and stressed the importance of the NBA governing its electoral process while adhering to the rule of law.
He concluded by wishing the new executive committee a successful tenure and expressed hope that the NBA would continue to have its leaders elected exclusively by its members.