NBA presidency within Badejo-Okusanya's grasp amid tight contest

In the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association presidential election, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has emerged as the front-runner, setting the stage for her to potentially become the association's first female president. As of 11:33 am on Saturday, preliminary results showed that Badejo-Okusanya had secured 4,860 votes, accounting for 41.77 per cent of the total ballots counted. Her closest rival, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, garnered 3,851 votes, representing 33.10 per cent of the votes, while Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, trailed behind with 2,924 votes, which translates to 25.13 per cent. Although the final results were still being awaited, the 11,600 votes cast so far indicate a strong inclination towards Badejo-Okusanya. This development comes on the heels of NBA President Afam Osigwe's denial of allegations that he was attempting to manipulate the election outcome. Osigwe, in a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, insisted that the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association operates independently and does not take instructions from him. He also refuted claims that he was supporting a particular candidate, describing such allegations as baseless and politically motivated. The NBA president's remarks were in response to weeks of controversy surrounding the July 18 election, with some candidates and stakeholders questioning the integrity of the electoral process and calling for a postponement. The association has consistently maintained that only the Electoral Committee is constitutionally empowered to conduct the election. According to Osigwe, allegations of election manipulation have never been substantiated in court. The NBA president further dismissed suggestions that his personal voting preference could influence the election's outcome, emphasizing the independence of the electoral process.