Post by Ibadan Watch (@Ibadanwatch)
NBA President-Elect Badejo-Okusanya Meets Tinubu, Pledges to Unite Bar Amid Election Dispute.
President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya (SAN), has pledged to reunite the legal profession following the association's recently concluded national elections, promising to heal divisions and strengthen the NBA ahead of her inauguration at the end of August.
Badejo-Okusanya made the commitment after separate meetings with President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. She said her immediate priority is to engage members and key stakeholders to address grievances arising from the election and restore confidence within the association.
"My swearing-in is not until the end of August. In the meantime, I continue to reach out to members and stakeholders so that we can work together to improve things, heal the hurt anyone has, and ensure that the NBA continues to fulfil its role in society," she said.
She assured lawyers that her administration would prioritize reconciliation, institutional stability and unity, adding that every necessary step would be taken to put the association on a stronger footing.
Speaking on her meeting with the President, Badejo-Okusanya said Tinubu congratulated her on her election victory, while both discussed the challenges associated with electronic voting and possible improvements to future electoral processes within the NBA.
During her meeting with the President-elect, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu described Badejo-Okusanya's emergence as a milestone for women in leadership and urged women across the country to continue supporting one another in breaking barriers and expanding opportunities. She noted that women now occupy several top positions in Nigeria's judiciary and expressed confidence that the incoming NBA president would have a successful tenure.
However, the election remains under challenge after one of the defeated candidates, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe (SAN), petitioned the NBA National Officers Election Appeal Committee, seeking the nullification of the poll over alleged irregularities.
Akangbe claimed the electronic voting platform suffered prolonged technical failures, that thousands of eligible lawyers were disenfranchised due to One-Time Password (OTP) issues, and that the extension of voting beyond the scheduled closing time compromised the integrity of the election. He has requested a comprehensive audit of the election, while the appeal committee considers the matter.
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