President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has pledged to resign if credible evidence emerges that the election which brought her into office was manipulated.
Speaking during an interview on TVC News, Badejo-Okusanya dismissed allegations by some contestants and members of the legal profession that the 2026 NBA presidential election was rigged in her favour. She maintained that the electronic voting process underwent extensive public scrutiny and showed no indication of electoral malpractice.
She said the voting pattern remained consistent throughout the election, arguing that there were no sudden surges in votes or other irregularities that would suggest manipulation.
According to her, “This election was the most watched. We have a system that refreshed every 10 seconds. People monitored the process throughout, and there was no evidence of vote dumping or any other form of rigging.”
Responding to comparisons with former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who admitted that the election which brought him to power was flawed, Badejo-Okusanya said she would not hesitate to step down if her own mandate was proven to be illegitimate.
“I had no desire to be a president whose electoral process was being questioned. If there is any credible indication that the process which brought me into office was flawed, I will resign,” she said.
The NBA president-elect also rejected claims that she was backed by the outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, or that her family ties to the Federal Government would compromise the association’s independence. She insisted that her mandate came solely from members of the Nigerian Bar Association and pledged to prioritise professional development, the defence of the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights during her tenure.
The remarks come amid ongoing controversy surrounding the 2026 NBA presidential election, with some contestants alleging irregularities and calling for a comprehensive review of the electoral process. Critics have cited technical glitches and low voter turnout as reasons for demanding greater transparency, although no conclusive evidence of election rigging has been presented.
