Court Of Appeal Okays NBA National Election

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026,  cleared the path for the  election of new national officers for the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.

The NBA election scheduled for Saturday July 18, 2026, had faced uncertainties following an Oyo State High Court ruling halting the exercise based on a motion ex-parte filed by the Egbe Omofin Group.

The Group had, in  its application, sought an order of the Court disbanding the NBA Electoral Committee and the imposition of a consensus Presidential candidate during the election, the slot having been allotted to the South West Region.

However, its position sharply contrasted with those of  the national leadership of the NBA and its constituted Electoral body– ECNBA which  all insisted on a free and fair contest.

The Oyo State High Court in its ruling granted an order stopping the ECNBA from going ahead with the planned election ,as well as aligning with the position of the Amofin group which sought to present a consensus presidential candidate for the region.

However, in its judgment on an appeal filed by the NBA leadership, the Appellate Court, while nullifying the trial Court’s decision held that it lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the case in the first place.

According to the Court of Appeal, the trial Court lacks  subject matter, personal, and territorial jurisdiction on all fronts to entertain the case.

The ruling  which has unequivocally cleared the way for the NBA to conduct its national election, is coming on the heels of the association’s rejection of the mediating efforts of the Attorney-General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice,  Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

The AGF had a couple of  days ago sought to controversially abort the Saturday’s election ,as well as the disbandment of the Electoral committee – ECNBA, in obvious endorsement of the position of the Amofin group.

However, his action was met with strident opposition and outright rejection  from the NBA national leadership, most NBA regional and state bodies, and major stakeholders who insisted on the conduct of a free, fair and credible election.