Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has been elected as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), following the conclusion of the association’s 2026 national officers’ election.
The Chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee, Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the results on Sunday at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja. The election, which had been delayed due to technical challenges and a cyberattack, concluded with Badejo-Okusanya securing 12,317 votes (47.18%) to defeat her closest rival, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who polled 7,934 votes (30.39%). The third candidate, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, received 5,855 votes (22.43%). A total of 26,106 votes were cast.
With this victory, Badejo-Okusanya will serve a two-year term from 2026 to 2028, becoming only the second female president in the association’s history, after Priscilla Kuye (1991–1992).
Other elected national officers include: Oghenero Okoro – First Vice-President (11,024 votes), Afam Okeke – General Secretary (8,478 votes), Aghogho Gladys – Assistant General Secretary (14,312 votes), Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam – Welfare Secretary (14,911 votes)
Although Badejo-Okusanya was absent at the announcement due to a flight delay, her campaign representative, Aminu Gadanya, SAN, assured members that she is committed to fostering unity and extending “a handshake of friendship” to all candidates.
Outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, commended the resilience of the electoral process despite attempts to derail it, including the cyberattack that forced the committee to rebuild and migrate its ICT system to a more secure server. He urged the new leadership to be magnanimous in victory and called on unsuccessful candidates to support the association’s progress.
“This election survived deliberate attempts to sabotage it. The NBA must remain united, and winners should extend the hand of fellowship to those who lost. The unity of the Bar cannot be compromised,” Osigwe stated.
He further disclosed that the Electoral Committee will conduct a comprehensive review of the process to strengthen confidence in future elections, enhance cybersecurity, and safeguard the integrity of the NBA’s democratic structures.
