The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has admitted that the elections that produced Olumide Akpata as President were not perfect but cannot be cancelled in response to a petition from one of the contestants, Dele Adesina. 

Dele Adesina (SAN) who came third in the election, had petitioned NBA BoT to cancel the election in grounds of classical electronic fraud, illegal and unconstitutional process”.

He had also alleged that the appointment of the service provider for the NBA 2020 election was done solely by the NBA president and the voter list was not released by ECNBA until five hours to the election, in violation of the NBA Constitution.

Reacting to the petition, NBA’s BoT stated that the election cannot be cancelled as it has no judicial authority to give direction to the NBA but can only advise.

The BoT’s reply dated August 19, 2020 ans by its chairman, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), read; 

“The Trustees have given careful consideration and deeply reflected on your petition and all the responses, in particular that of ECNBA (Election Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association).

“We note that the elections were not perfect. We reviewed your petition and note that it raises serious issues. Nonetheless, our advice will be the overall interest of the Bar should be paramount on the mind of every Nigerian lawyer and to that extent, we urge that all lawyers and no less the candidates be mindful of the need to promote a cohesive united and strong Bar.

“We regret that we are unable to advise that the election should be cancelled in the overall interest of the Bar.”