The events that unfolded at the Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held on 16 July 2026 have raised profound concerns about the state of internal democracy, fairness, and impartiality within the leadership of our Association.

The meeting was convened principally to consider the position allegedly reached at an earlier engagement with the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation (HAGF), proposing that the forthcoming NBA Elections be postponed by one week and that National Identification Number (NIN), rather than email authentication, be adopted as the principal means of voting.

While every NEC member is entitled to hold and express a view on these proposals, the integrity of the decision-making process depends on the assurance that all perspectives are heard fairly and without discrimination.
Regrettably, what transpired today fell far short of that democratic standard.
Throughout the deliberations, the President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, repeatedly recognized speaker after speaker whose views aligned with his apparent position. Numerous members supporting the rejection of the proposed postponement were given ample opportunity to address the Council. In stark contrast, only about five members expressing contrary opinions were recognized.

Even more disturbing was the apparent refusal to acknowledge several other NEC members who were visibly desirous of speaking but were, for reasons best known to the President, denied the opportunity. Many of those ignored were members whom the President knew or reasonably perceived would express views contrary to his preferred position. Such selective recognition of speakers is inconsistent with the principles of fairness that ought to guide proceedings of the highest policy-making organ of our Association. The presiding officer of a deliberative body bears a solemn duty to remain impartial, particularly where issues of significant constitutional and electoral importance are under consideration. The appearance that the process was managed to favour one side inevitably undermines confidence in whatever outcome emerged from the meeting. The NBA has always prided itself as the foremost defender of constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and procedural fairness. Those values must first find expression within our own Association. We cannot credibly demand transparency and fairness from public institutions while tolerating selective treatment and procedural imbalance in our internal affairs.

The issue before NEC was too important to be determined through a process that left many members feeling excluded from deliberations. Every member of NEC has an equal stake in the future of the Association, and every legitimate viewpoint deserves to be heard without fear or favour. The unfortunate manner in which today’s NEC meeting was conducted has only deepened concerns regarding the management of the electoral process. The confidence of members in the forthcoming elections depends not merely on the eventual decisions reached but on the transparency, neutrality, and fairness of the processes through which those decisions are made.

We therefore call upon the leadership of the NBA to recommit itself to the principles of impartiality, inclusiveness, and procedural fairness in all matters relating to the forthcoming elections. The credibility of the Association and the legitimacy of the electoral process demand nothing less. There are serious issues relating to the integrity of the election process being raised by two of the three Presidential candidates. The only candidate comfortable with all that the NBA President and the ECNBA are doing is the candidate allegedly being supported and promoted by the President and the NBA cabals.

Away from the conduct of the President at the meeting, it is indeed curious that the NBA President did not call an emergency NEC Meeting when the ECNBA had to change the date of the election from 20th July, to 18th July, 2026, but swiftly summoned an Emergency NEC Meeting to nullify a decision to reschedule the election, collectively reached by himself (the President), two of the Presidential candidates, the ECNBA Chairman, in the presence of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, as well as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers who has been reported to have facilitated the meeting.

The Nigerian Bar Association belongs to all its members, not to any individual or group. As an association whose slogan is promotion of Rule of Law, its Council meeting must never become a gathering where dissenting voices are suppressed. The voices of the majority may not be loud, but it must be allowed to be heard.

Should the NBA President contest our claim, we challenge him to do a rejoinder with a full video of the proceedings to enable the reading public to make informed deductions and conclusions from his handling of the meeting.

Issued this 16th day of July, 2026.

Concerned NBA NEC Members