The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has rejected and blasted a purported directive allegedly issued by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking to postpone its 2026 national officers' election.
The NBA insisted that only the association's National Executive Council (NEC) has the constitutional authority to postpone the exercise.
In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), the NBA described the alleged directive as unconstitutional, ultra vires, and an attempt to place the association under the control of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The association said it became aware of a document purportedly containing the report of a sub-committee and comments allegedly attributed to the Attorney General, which recommended the disbandment of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), postponement of the 2026 national officers' election, termination of the current election service provider, appointment of a caretaker committee, inclusion of the National Identification Number (NIN) in the voting process, and a review of the NBA Constitution to end universal suffrage.
The NBA's response followed the emergence of a document titled, "Directions and Outcomes of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation Prince Lateef O. Fagbemi (SAN), on the Report of the 3-Man Committee Set Up to Look Into Causes of the Present Conflicts Within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Particularly on the Way Forward in Matters Relating to the Upcoming 2026 Elections of National Officers of the Nigerian Bar Association."
