Badejo-Okusanya Wins NBA Presidency Amidst Allegations of Mass Disenfranchisement and Anomalies
Steve Aya
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has been elected the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), defeating two other Senior Advocates in the Association’s 2026 national officers’ election. She secured 12,317 votes, representing 47.18% of the total votes cast, to emerge victorious, and will lead the Association for a two-year term from 2026 to 2028.
Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the results at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja on Sunday after the conclusion of the election, which experienced delays due to technical challenges and a cyberattack. Ejelam disclosed that Mrs Badejo-Okusanya defeated her closest rival, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who polled 7,934 votes, while the third candidate, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, secured 5,855 votes. A total of 26,106 votes were recorded in the exercise.
Mrs Badejo-Okusanya’s election also marks a significant milestone in the history of the Association, as she becomes only the second woman to serve as NBA President after Dame Priscilla Kuye, who held the office between 1991 and 1992. Other officials elected include Oghenero Okoro as First Vice-President with 11,024 votes, Afam Okeke as General Secretary with 8,478 votes, Aghogho Gladys as Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes, and Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam as Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes.
