The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has announced Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya as the 33rd president of the law body.
Disclosing the results at the NBA national secretariat in Abuja after the end of the election on Sunday,, chairman of the ECNBA, Aham Ejelam, stated that Badejo-Okusanya scooped 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 percent of the total votes cast, to defeat her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, who polled 7,934 votes, representing 30.39 percent.
Olumuyiwa Akinboro, the third presidential candidate, polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 percent of the total votes.
The poll recorded 26,106 votes from 82,172 registered voters, representing a 31.86 percent participation rate, according to the ECNBA.
Also elected were Oghenero Okoro, who secured 11,024 votes to become first vice-president; Afam Okeke, who polled 8,478 votes to become general secretary; Aghogho Gladys, who won the assistant general secretary position with 14,312 votes; and Chinelo Ofoegbunam, who was elected welfare secretary after polling 14,911 votes.
Speaking after the announcement of the results,, president of the NBA, Afam Osigwe, noted that the election withstood attempts to undermine the process, including a cyberattack that forced the ECNBA to rebuild and migrate its ICT infrastructure to a more secure server.
“Our colleagues planned to truncate the election but we stood firm. Every effort to derail this process failed. This is a trying time for the Bar. In the build-up to this election, many went to a great extent to rubbish the association,” he said.
Osigwe appealed to the newly-elected national officers to be gracious in victory and urged those who lost the election to rally behind the incoming leadership.
“To those who won, be magnanimous in victory; for those who lost, there is always another day. The cyber attack shows that we must do more in data protection. Let us collectively do things in an acceptable manner,” Osigwe said.
“Someday, the story will be told of how this election was almost sabotaged.
“We must be able to promote the rule of law, and the NBA, made up of lawyers, should be able to determine the course of its electoral process. Where we made mistakes, I believe my successor will correct them.
“Winners should extend the hands of fellowship to those who lost and have a united front to move the Bar forward.
“The unity of the Bar cannot and should never be negotiated. As I now bow out, I wish the new EXCO all the very best in office.
“May we never see the day when those who lead us will be elected by people other than lawyers”.
