NBA Election Crisis Deepens as Lawyers Allege Voting Irregularities, Candidates Unable to Vote

Michael Olugbode, Abuja

The ongoing national elections of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have come under fresh scrutiny following widespread complaints by lawyers over alleged voting irregularities, technical failures and difficulties accessing the electronic voting platform.

The development has raised renewed concerns about the credibility and transparency of the electoral process, coming hours after the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) announced a delay in the commencement of voting following what it described as a coordinated cyberattack on its electronic voting infrastructure.

Although the ECNBA later announced the restoration of the voting platform and assured members that the integrity of the election had not been compromised, lawyers across the country have continued to report difficulties in accessing the system, receiving authentication credentials and successfully casting their ballots.

Some members have also alleged discrepancies between votes cast and figures displayed on the election dashboard, further fuelling concerns over the reliability of the electronic voting system.

The controversy escalated after two presidential candidates, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, reportedly indicated that they were unable to cast their own votes because of difficulties encountered during the process.

The reported inability of presidential candidates to vote in an election in which they are contesting has intensified anxiety among members and prompted renewed calls for urgent clarification from the ECNBA.

Lawyers from several branches have consequently demanded greater transparency, calling on the electoral committee to immediately address complaints relating to voter authentication, access to the voting platform, alleged discrepancies in displayed figures and the overall integrity of the electronic voting process.

The ECNBA has maintained that it remains committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible election, while urging members to rely only on its official communication channels for verified updates.

The election has already been preceded by months of litigation, allegations of bias and intense controversy over the use of electronic voting, making it one of the most closely watched and consequential NBA elections in recent years.

With fresh complaints now emerging from across the country and allegations that some candidates were unable to vote, pressure is mounting on the ECNBA to provide a comprehensive explanation of the reported technical failures and reassure members that every eligible voter will be able to exercise his or her franchise.

The credibility of the election, observers say, may ultimately depend not only on the final results but also on the ECNBA’s ability to transparently account for the technical challenges that have marred the voting process.