The Electoral Committee for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch has suspended the branch elections scheduled for tomorrow in obedience to an order of a high court sitting in Port Harcourt.

In a move that has been hailed as exemplary and a show of respect for the majesty of the courts, the committee stated that the move was to give effect to the order of the court.

The committee was appointed by the outgoing NBA Port Harcourt Chairman, Mrs. Cordelia Uwuma Eke-led Executive Committee to conduct the branch elections.

A notice obtained by CITY LAWYER and titled “NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF ELECTION,” the committee wrote:

“Please be informed that, in compliance with the Interim Order made by Honourable Justice S. J. Aprioku in Suit No. PHC/2250/CS/2026: Godsent O. Elenwa, Esq. & Ors. v. Cordelia U. Eke, Esq. & Ors. directing that the election scheduled tomorrow, Friday, 26 June 2026, should not hold.

“The Election accordingly, is hereby suspended.

“We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.”

The notice was signed by the Electoral Committee Chairman,
Mr. Chukwuma Eke as well as the Secretary, N. Nzewi-Agbasi (Mrs.).

CITY LAWYER recalls that Justice Sika Henry Aprioku had on the eve of the election today granted an interim order suspending the eagerly awaited elections.

The ruling came on the heels of a suit brought by some members of the branch over alleged irregularities in compilation of the voters’ register.

CITY LAWYER gathered that the respondents hotly contested service of the court processes, arguing that they were only served yesterday and needed time to properly respond to the allegations.

The suit was brought by GODSENT O. ELENWA, ESQ.; AMINABO L. DAVIES, ESQ. and ODINAKA G. EMENIKE, ESQ. “for themselves and as representing concerned and aggrieved members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Port-Harcourt Branch.”

The respondents are CORDELIA U. EKE ESQ., outgoing NBA Port Harcourt Chairman; CHUKWUMA EKE ESQ., Chairman of the branch electoral committee, and NONYE NZEWI-AGBASI ESQ., Secretary of the committee.

The suit was brought pursuant to Order 3, Rule 2 & 3 of the High Court of Rivers State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2023, Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), and the Uniform Bye-laws contained in the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2025) and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court.

In the Originating Summons seen by CITY LAWYER, the applicants sought the following prayers:

1. A DECLARATION that the Final List of Eligible Voters of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents dated June 12th, 2026, but published on 14th June 2026, for the election of officers of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, is profoundly compromised, structurally flawed, packed with phantom voters, plagued by systemic omission of qualified voters, and is consequently null, void, and of no legal effect whatsoever.
2. A DECLARATION that the current Port Harcourt Branch Electoral Committee (ELECO), as presently constituted under the leadership of the 2nd and 3rd Defendants, has compromised its institutional neutrality, violated the provisions of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2025), exhibited gross administrative incompetence and bias, and is unfit to superintend or conduct any election for the executive offices of the Port Harcourt Branch.
3. AN ORDER OF THIS HONORABLE COURT dissolving and disbanding the Port Harcourt Branch Electoral Committee (ELECO) as presently constituted.
4. AN ORDER OF THIS HONORABLE COURT directing the President of the NBA to immediately constitute an independent, unbiased Caretaker Electoral Committee comprised of past branch Chairmen of unimpeachable professional standing and zero partisan affiliations, to step into the administrative shoes of the disbanded ELECO, purge the register/Voters List, and conduct a transparent branch election.
5. AN INJUNCTION restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, their agents, secretariats, proxies, or anyone acting on their authority, from deploying, using, or relying upon the tainted Final List of Eligible Voters dated June 12th 2026, for the purpose of conducting any elections or voting exercises within the Port Harcourt Branch of the NBA.

At the proceedings, the applicants were represented by Christopher Itamunoala, Dennis Okwakpam, Reginald Ugwuadu and H. F. Bariesia.

The respondents were represented by Sonny Wogu SAN and Ayodeji Adedipe SAN among others.

After listening to the parties, the court granted the order as sought by the applicants while ordering them to an undertaking in the sum of ₦5 million.

The matter was adjourned to July 6, 2026, for hearing.

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