• OJIBARA, ANYIA, ANIMASHAUN, GARBA, OTHERS EMERGE

• ATTORNEY-GENERAL DEBUNKS TINUBU’S INVOLVEMENT

• NBA APPEALS C’TE CHAIR OGWU CONGRATULATES OSIGWE

Barring any hitch, the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) is set to announce Mr. Afam Osigwe SAN as the 32nd President of the NBA, CITY LAWYER can report.

Unofficial results at the end of the NBA National Officers elections held yesterday via electronic voting show that Osigwe, a former General Secretary of the association, polled 20,435 votes to defeat his closest rival and current Chairman of the NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education board, Mr. Tobenna Erojikwe who polled 10,998 votes.

Former NBA Lagos Branch Chairman and current Chairman of the NBA Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC), Mr. Chukwuka Ikwuazom SAN polled 9,018 votes to place third in the tripodal presidential race.

Ikwuazom had however sensationally pulled out of the race several hours to the end of the poll, citing irregularities.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN has issued a statement to debunk trending allegation that President Bola Tinubu had endorsed a presidential candidate in election.

Fagbemi stated that “I completely dissociate myself from such statement because nothing of such happened,” adding that the President had neither discussed the matter nor given any “divisive instruction.”

The race for the influential position of NBA General Secretary was won by Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara who got off the blocks very early and never relinquished his huge lead throughout the election. He polled 25,713 votes to defeat Mr. Abdulwasiu Alfa who polled 11,730 votes.

The position of NBA First Vice President was won by Mr. Sabastine Anyia who polled 12,114 votes to defeat five other candidates in a packed race. His closest rival and former NBA Ikeja Branch Chairman Bartholomew Aguegbodo polled 6,864 votes to place second while former Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) Governor Williams Soseipiriye polled 5,718 votes to place third. Former NBA Isiokpo Branch Chairman, Dr. Promise Iwezor garnered 5,365 votes to place fourth while Reginald Ugwuadu (also of NBA Port Harcourt Branch like Williams) polled 3,261 votes to place fifth. Former NBA Obollo-Afor Chairman, Dr. Gerald Abonyi polled 3,227 votes to bring up the rear.

Former NBA Lagos Branch Vice Chairman Bolatumi Animashaun polled 26,534 votes to defeat former NBA Benin Branch Chairman Pius Oiwoh (11,131 votes) in a race in which she showed dominance from start to finish.

The position of Third Vice President went to Zainab Aminu Garba (23,550 votes) who posted a huge lead against her opponent, Mr. Michael Olorunmola (13,897 votes). 

It seemed a no-contest between the presumptive NBA Assistant General Henry Barnabas Ehi and Oluwaseun Aka, with Ehi posting the widest voting gap of 20,235 votes to beat his rival. While Ehi polled 28,552 votes, Aka posted a paltry 8,317 votes.

The myth that NBA Lagos Branch candidates always have an electoral edge over their opponents due to their large voting strength was broken by Blessing Udofa-Poromon who polled 17,998 votes to defeat former NBA Lagos Branch Treasurer Caroline Obi and returnee Chukwuemeka Mbamala of NBA Enugu Branch. While Mbamala garnered 9,825 votes to place second, Obi polled 9,442 votes to place third.

The race for Welfare Secretary was won by Nyada Auta with 18,369 votes to beat his closest rival Oaikhena Osagie who polled 12,855 votes to place second. Ernest Uwanaka polled a meagre 5,376 votes to bring up the rear.

Prominent legal blogger Bridget Edokwe sensationally dusted a strong field of incumbent NBA Assistant Publicity Secretary Charles Ajiboye and his immediate predecessor-in-office Ferdinand Naza. While Edokwe polled 19,542 votes to win the race, Ajiboye garnered 10,969 votes to place second while Naza polled 7,667 votes to place third.

While there are strong indications that endorsements by women groups especially FIDA may have buoyed Edokwe’s quest, it was unclear at press time how the NBA-SPIDEL debacle may have affected Ajiboye’s chances, given that the factional NBA-SPIDEL Executive Committee issued a Form 48 on the eve of the election asking Ajiboye to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for allegedly facilitating the controversial NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference which a Delta State High Court barred from holding through an interim order.

The post of Assistant Publicity Secretary was won by Ebiere Emmanuella Ekpese who ran a very strong campaign to defeat her only opponent, Lawrence Ayewa. Ekpese polled 26,955 votes to post a 17,265 votes gap against Ayewa who garnered 969o votes.

Eleven candidates were also elected as NBA Representatives to the General Council of the Bar (GCB), including former NBA Publicity Secretary Kunle Edun who has been re-elected to the position; incumbent Assistant General Secretary Daniel Kip as well as fiery rights activist, Augustine Ike.

The ECNBA will today at 10 am announce the official results. A notice by the electoral committee reads:

ECNBA NOTICE NO. 14: DECLARATION OF FINAL ELECTION RESULTS

Dear Members,

We are pleased to inform you that the final results of the NBA 2024 elections will be formally announced tomorrow as follows:

Date: 21st July 2024
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: NBA House Auditorium, Plot 1101 Muhammadu Buhari Way, Abuja.

We invite all candidates and members to attend this concluding part of the election process and important announcement. For those who won’t be able to attend physically, you can join us via Zoom at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85455568465?pwd=hy6ZpxJj6nuSdAX2DWIfqJEC4CHCpb.1
Zoom Link.
Passcode: 822460

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NBA Election Appeals Committee, Mr. Usman Sule SAN has congratulated Osigwe on his victory.

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, Ogwu wrote:

Congratulations to Mazi Afam SAN!!

Usman O. Sule (SAN) commend the ECNBA and the leadership of the Association for being steadfast for the emergence of the people’s President, Mazi Afam Josiah Osigwe (SAN), President of the largest Bar in West Africa.

The election, without doubt, is historic, just as it is epochal and would be adjudged the freest and fairest NBA General Election.

I commend members of the Bar and ECNBA Committee for successfully conducting election.

The Bar is one family.