Badejo-Okusanya Sweeps NBA Presidential Race, Vows Transformative Leadership

Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has been elected as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), making history as the association's first elected female President.

The announcement of her victory was made on Sunday, July 19, at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja by Aham Ejelam, Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA).

The election process, which saw voting commence at 7:35 am on Saturday, July 18, and conclude on Sunday, July 19, faced significant challenges. The ECNBA reported that its election portal came under a "deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack" aimed at disrupting and sabotaging the process.

In response to these technical failures, the ECNBA's cybersecurity team and Election Voting Service Provider (EVSP) immediately activated emergency security protocols.

This led to the rebuilding and migration of the election portal to a new, more secure domain, ensuring the integrity of the votes cast. The committee assured members that no votes were accepted during the disruption and that voting only recommenced after the platform was fully secured.

Despite these attempts to undermine the process, including what outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, described as efforts by "colleagues who planned to truncate the election," the ECNBA stood firm.

The committee maintained supervision over the election, with candidates, agents and observers continuously monitoring the process from the designated election centre. This resilience ensured a credible outcome for the national election.

In the final results, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya polled 12,317 votes, securing 47.18 percent of the total votes cast. She defeated her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, who received 7,934 votes (30.39 percent), and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, who garnered 5,855 votes (22.43 percent).

The election saw a total of 26,106 votes cast from 82,172 registered voters, representing a turnout of 31.86 percent.

Other key national officers elected include Oghenero Okoro as First Vice-President with 11,024 votes, Afam Okeke as General Secretary with 8,478 votes, Aghogho Gladys as Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes, and Chinelo Ofoegbunam as Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes.

Reflecting on the successful but challenging election, outgoing NBA President Afam Osigwe lauded the efforts to preserve the integrity of the process. He emphasized that every attempt to derail the election failed, highlighting a "trying time for the Bar."

Osigwe also dismissed earlier allegations of attempting to rig or interfere with the election, insisting that the ECNBA operated independently and that claims of him backing a preferred candidate were politically motivated and unsubstantiated.

Osigwe urged the newly elected national officers to be magnanimous in victory and called on unsuccessful candidates to support the incoming leadership, stressing the paramount importance of the Bar's unity.

He noted that the cyberattack underscored the critical need for enhanced data protection measures within the association.

He expressed hope that his successor would correct any mistakes made during his tenure and concluded by advocating for a united front to advance the Bar, asserting that the unity of the Bar should never be negotiated.

In her message following her victory, President-elect Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya expressed profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility, describing her election as the beginning of a new chapter. She pledged to lead an inclusive Bar, focusing on strengthening the legal profession and advancing justice and the rule of law.

Her vision, she stated, was significantly shaped by extensive interactions with lawyers across the nation, during which she listened to their hopes, concerns, aspirations, and ideas.

She committed to serving every member with integrity, fairness, and accountability and to building an association where every lawyer has the opportunity to "earn better, live better, and practise better."

Badejo-Okusanya extended her sincere appreciation to all members who participated in the election, regardless of their supported candidate, and called for unity.

"The election is over. We are one Bar, united by a common commitment to the advancement of our profession and the defence of justice and the rule of law," she declared.

She also congratulated her fellow contestants, acknowledging their commitment to the association and enriching the democratic process, expressing readiness to collaborate with them in strengthening the NBA.

Her election marks a significant milestone, as she becomes the first elected female President of the NBA. While Mrs. Priscilla Kuye previously served as the first female President, she assumed the role when the elected President was appointed Attorney General.

Badejo-Okusanya's direct electoral victory underscores a historic moment for gender representation in the association's leadership.

Looking ahead, outgoing President Osigwe disclosed that the ECNBA plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the election challenges.

This review aims to strengthen future NBA elections, improve the association's cybersecurity infrastructure, and enhance its overall electoral processes, ensuring greater resilience against future threats.