Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has taken an early lead in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election as vote collation continues.
Results released as of 11:33 a.m. on Saturday showed Badejo-Okusanya polling 4,860 votes, representing 41.77 per cent of the ballots counted.
Her closest rival, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe (SAN), had secured 3,851 votes or 33.10 per cent, while Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN) trailed with 2,924 votes, representing 25.13 per cent.
Although the final outcome was yet to be declared at the time of filing this report, the 11,600 votes counted so far placed Badejo-Okusanya in an early lead.
The development comes a day after NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN) dismissed allegations that he was attempting to influence or manipulate the association’s national officers’ election.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Osigwe insisted that the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association operates independently and does not receive directives from him.
He also denied backing any preferred candidate, describing allegations of interference as politically motivated and unsupported by evidence.
The election has been preceded by weeks of controversy, with some presidential candidates and stakeholders questioning the credibility of the process.
Among the concerns raised were calls for the election to be postponed, demands for mandatory National Identification Number (NIN) verification for voters and allegations that the NBA leadership was attempting to influence the outcome.
The association has consistently rejected the claims, maintaining that only the Electoral Committee is constitutionally empowered to conduct the election.
Osigwe also argued that past allegations of manipulation in NBA elections had never been proven in court and dismissed suggestions that his personal voting preference could affect the outcome of the poll.
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