THE NBA 2026 NATIONAL ELECTIONS: THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS MUST TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER THE DECLARATION OF ANY RESULT
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The attention of Egbe Amofin has been drawn to the deeply disturbing developments surrounding the conduct of the 2026 National Elections of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The Nigerian Bar Association has, over the years, stood as the conscience of the legal profession and one of the foremost defenders of constitutional democracy, the rule of law and credible electoral processes in Nigeria. It has consistently demanded transparency, accountability and fairness in the conduct of elections across the country. It cannot, therefore, be held to a lower standard in the conduct of its own affairs.
The events that have characterised the 2026 NBA National Elections have regrettably fallen below the standard of transparency, certainty and credibility expected of the foremost association of legal practitioners in Nigeria. The delayed commencement of voting, the unequal presentation of candidates on the initial ballot, prolonged technical failures, the suspension of voting for several hours, the cancellation of votes already cast, repeated changes to the voting portal, and the eventual shutdown of the platform at about 11:00 p.m. have collectively eroded confidence in the integrity of the electoral process.
Even more troubling is the fact that, after almost twenty-three hours from the scheduled commencement of voting, well over half of the more than 80,000 registered voters were reportedly unable to cast their votes. Many eligible members abandoned the process after hours of unsuccessful attempts to access the platform. It has also been reported that, as at the shutdown of the platform, even two presidential candidates had been unable to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Such a situation is wholly inconsistent with the principles of universal participation and equal suffrage upon which every credible election must rest.
The explanation reportedly offered by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) that the electronic voting platform was compromised by external actors has itself generated further concerns requiring satisfactory answers. Notably, the ballot paper displayed before the suspension of voting differed materially from the ballot presented after the platform resumed. Before the suspension, the name of one of the presidential candidates, Mr. Akinboro, was misspelled and his photograph was absent. Upon the restoration of the platform, those errors had been corrected and a different ballot interface appeared. While the correction of those errors may have been well-intentioned, it nevertheless confirms that changes were made to the voting platform after the election had already commenced. Such alterations, however desirable, inevitably raise legitimate questions about the integrity, continuity and auditability of the electoral process.
These developments raise serious questions which deserve transparent and verifiable answers:
1. If the electronic voting platform was indeed compromised by external actors, what independent verification was conducted before voting resumed?
2. Who authorised the alterations made to the ballot after voting had commenced?
3. Was every candidate informed before those changes were effected?
4. Was the platform subjected to an independent forensic integrity audit before voting resumed?
5. Why were different voting websites or links deployed during the election?
6. Why were some members able to vote with relative ease while thousands of other eligible lawyers remained effectively disenfranchised?
7. Why did the complaint channels reportedly fail many members at the very time assistance was most urgently required?
8. How can members be assured that the integrity of the votes already cast and the audit trail remained intact after the suspension and subsequent modifications to the platform?
These are not mere technical questions. They go to the very foundation of the legitimacy of the electoral process. Once an election is suspended, significant changes are made to the voting platform, and voting subsequently resumes under altered conditions, the continuity and integrity of that election become matters of legitimate concern. Public confidence cannot be sustained merely by assurances; it must be founded upon transparency and independently verifiable facts.
This is not about the success or failure of any candidate. It is about preserving the honour and institutional integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association. Leadership derives its legitimacy not merely from the declaration of results, but from the confidence of those who participated in the process. Where confidence has substantially eroded, legitimacy inevitably suffers.
Accordingly, Egbe Amofin respectfully calls upon the ECNBA to immediately suspend the declaration of any result arising from the present electoral process. We further call for an independent forensic audit of the electronic voting platform, the audit trail and every aspect of the electoral process by competent and independent experts. Should the integrity of the process be found to have been materially compromised, the election should be nullified and a fresh election conducted after adequate notice, and not less than seven days from the date of postponement, on a platform that guarantees transparency, reliability, equality of contestants and equal opportunity for every eligible member to vote.
The Nigerian Bar Association must never become a reference point for electoral uncertainty. Rather, it must continue to serve as the benchmark for electoral integrity, constitutionalism and the rule of law. History will remember not those who hurried to declare results, but those who stood firmly for justice, fairness and due process when those principles were most severely tested.
Integrity is the foundation of justice. Once confidence in the process is lost, no declaration of results can restore it. In view of the above, we disassociate ourselves from this shambolic election and shall not recognise any result arising from the said election.
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