Senior lawyer urges NBA president-elect to unite Nigeria’s divided Bar

Kemi Pinheiro, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and legal scholar, has urged the president-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, to make reconciliation and unity the defining priorities of her administration as she prepares to assume leadership of Africa’s largest association of lawyers.

Mr Pinheiro made the call in a congratulatory statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday following Mrs Badejo-Okusanya’s historic election as the first woman to be directly elected president of the NBA by the association’s membership.

Describing the president-elect as an accomplished lawyer and consensus builder, Mr Pinheiro stated that her emergence represented a defining moment for both the NBA and the legal profession in Nigeria.

He, however, noted that she would assume office at a time when the association faced deep internal divisions that could weaken its influence if left unaddressed.

“The Bar is currently polarised along several lines—generational, ideological and, at times, personal,” he said. “Healing these divisions and building a truly cohesive, inclusive and purpose-driven Bar must be at the heart of your agenda.”

According to him, restoring unity within the association is not merely an internal organisational goal but a national imperative, given the NBA’s longstanding role in defending constitutional democracy, promoting judicial independence and speaking out against abuses of power.

“A divided Bar cannot effectively champion the rule of law, protect the welfare of lawyers or speak with the moral authority required to promote justice, accountability and good governance,” he stressed.

Mr Pinheiro noted that the strength of the NBA has always rested on its ability to speak with one voice on issues affecting the legal profession and the country, warning that internal divisions could diminish its capacity to influence public policy and hold institutions accountable.

His remarks come against the backdrop of Saturday’s NBA election set to usher in a new leadership for the association but also generated disputes over voter participation and the conduct of the electronic voting process.

Mrs Badejo-Okusanya, also a SAN and the only woman among the three presidential candidates, won the presidential election after polling 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the 26,106 valid ballots cast.

She defeated Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, who secured 7,934 votes (30.39 per cent), and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, also a SAN, who garnered 5,855 votes (22.43 per cent).

The election, conducted electronically over 24 hours, also produced new occupants for the NBA’s 12 other national offices. Oghenero Okoro emerged as first vice-president, while Egya Nuhu John and Pepple Irene were elected second and third vice-presidents, respectively.

Afam Okeke won the position of general secretary, with Aghogho Gladys Okpomor elected assistant general secretary. Esther Ifeoma Jimoh emerged treasurer; Audrey Chinelo Ofoegbunam was elected welfare secretary; Prince I. Azubuike became publicity secretary; and Uwomano Anthony Junior Aki was elected assistant publicity secretary.

Lawyers also elected Chidi Betsy Nnaji, Rotimi Komolafe and Huwaila Muhammad Ibrahim to represent the Eastern, Western and Northern zones, respectively, on the General Council of the Bar.

Despite the significance of the poll, voter participation remained relatively low. Of the 82,172 lawyers registered to vote, only 26,184 cast ballots across the elections for the association’s 13 national offices, representing a turnout of 31.86 per cent.

Shortly after the results were announced on Sunday, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya accepted her victory, describing it as a mandate to build a stronger and more inclusive association.

She thanked lawyers across the country for believing in her campaign vision, “A Bolder Bar That Works for Everyone,” saying the outcome belonged to every member who believed the NBA could become more responsive to the needs of its members.

The president-elect also commended her opponents in the election for strengthening the association’s democratic culture and pledged to lead with integrity, courage, humility, fairness and accountability.

She promised to prioritise the welfare of lawyers while working towards an NBA where members could “earn better, live better and practise better.”

Her victory, however, did not end the controversy surrounding the election.

Mr Akangbe rejected the outcome, describing the exercise as “shambolic” and alleging that widespread technical failures prevented thousands of lawyers from casting their votes.

He accused the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) of poor preparation and questioned its decision to alter the election timetable without the approval of the association’s National Executive Council.

He further alleged that the electronic voting platform experienced repeated authentication failures, that one-time passwords were delivered through channels different from those previously communicated to members and that there were credible reports of multiple voting.

He also questioned the committee’s handling of the election after alleging that only Mrs Badejo-Okusanya’s photograph initially appeared correctly on the electronic ballot while those of the other presidential candidates failed to display properly until concerns were raised.

Mr Akangbe said he was reviewing his legal options after demanding the preservation of all electronic voting records, an independent forensic audit of the voting platform and a comprehensive review of the conduct of the election.

The outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, a SAN, however, defended the integrity of the election, saying the process survived a coordinated cyberattack that disrupted electronic voting for several hours before the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) and its technical team migrated the exercise to a more secure server.

Mr Osigwe acknowledged the challenges experienced during the poll but maintained that they did not compromise its overall credibility.

He said the ECNBA would conduct a comprehensive review of the election to identify lessons from the technical difficulties and improve future electronic voting exercises.

He also urged lawyers to move beyond the contest and rally behind the incoming leadership.

“This is a time for healing. At the end of the day, the Bar must be the ultimate winner,” he stated, while calling on the newly elected officers to be magnanimous in victory and committed to uniting the association.

Call for reconciliation

It is against this backdrop that Mr Pinheiro urged Mrs Badejo-Okusanya to place reconciliation at the heart of her administration, arguing that restoring trust among members would be essential to strengthening the NBA’s voice on national issues.

According to him, a united Bar would be better positioned to defend judicial independence, uphold constitutional democracy, protect the rights and welfare of legal practitioners and continue serving as a credible advocate for justice, accountability and good governance in Nigeria.

ALSO READ: NBA president denies using his office to back preferred candidate, clarifies association’s role in state police committee

He noted that the incoming leadership had a rare opportunity not only to heal divisions created by the election but also to bridge long-standing generational, ideological and personal differences within the association.

Mr Pinheiro expressed confidence that Mrs Badejo-Okusanya possessed the experience, temperament and inclusive leadership style required to reunite the Bar and reposition it for greater relevance.

Badejo-Okusanya’s historic victory

Fifty-nine-year-old Mrs Badejo-Okusanya’s election marks another significant milestone in the NBA’s 66-year history.

Although Priscilla Kuye became the association’s first female president in 1991 after assuming office from the vice-presidency following the resignation of her predecessor, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya is the first woman to be elected directly to the office by the votes of the NBA’s general membership.

Called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002, she studied English before obtaining a law degree from the University of Lagos.

She was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2025 and has built a reputation in commercial dispute resolution, arbitration and legal practice management.

She is expected to be sworn in as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association during the association’s Annual General Conference scheduled to hold from 21 to 28 August in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Pinheiro pledges support

Concluding his message, Mr Pinheiro pledged his support for the incoming administration, expressing optimism that the new leadership would build a stronger, more cohesive and forward-looking Bar capable of reinforcing its historic role as a defender of the rule of law and democratic governance in Nigeria.

“If you succeed in uniting the Bar, you will not only strengthen our profession but also reinforce one of Nigeria’s most important institutions for the defence of justice, constitutionalism and the public interest,” he said.