Jul 20, 2026

NBA Election Chaos: Veteran Lawyer Slams ‘Worst Poll in History’

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Lagos, Nigeria – In a scathing television interview that has sent ripples through Nigeria’s legal community, prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro has described the recently concluded 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national elections as the most flawed and poorly managed in the association’s history.

Speaking on ARISE News, the former NBA General Secretary and presidential contender pulled no punches: “The last NBA election is the worst we have had in the NBA.”

His remarks come just days after voting concluded amid technical meltdowns, allegations of cyber interference, and lingering questions about the integrity of the electronic voting system.

Election Day Breakdown

According to Akinboro and multiple reports, voting was scheduled to begin at midnight on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Within 30 minutes, the portal reportedly crashed. Many voters, including Akinboro himself, encountered severe issues: his name failed to appear correctly on the ballot (with distortions such as “Aimu” instead), and his photo was missing.

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) attributed the disruption to a “deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack.”

Emergency measures were activated, voting was suspended temporarily, and the process eventually resumed and concluded.

However, critics like Akinboro argue that a genuine cyberattack would not explain pre-existing data entry errors or system manipulations.

“A cyber attack will not change what you imputed into your system,”** Akinboro insisted. “It may shut down your system but not change what you inputted.”

He claimed he stayed awake until the early hours monitoring developments before the suspension was announced.

Broader Context of Controversy

The 2026 NBA elections were already mired in disputes long before polling day. Three SANs contested the presidency: Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya.

Tensions included allegations of bias by the outgoing leadership, questions over service providers (notably Mikrodigital Connect), zoning arrangements pushed by groups like Egbe Amofin O’odua, and court interventions that were ultimately cleared by the Court of Appeal.

Despite the glitches, the ECNBA declared results with a turnout of approximately 31.86% (26,184 out of 82,172 registered voters).

Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya secured a decisive victory with 12,317 votes (47.18%), becoming only the second woman to lead the NBA. Akangbe placed second with 7,934 votes, while Akinboro received 5,855 votes.

Reactions and Implications

Akinboro’s outspoken critique highlights deeper concerns about transparency, technological reliability, and trust in the NBA’s democratic processes.

Prior to the election, candidates had raised alarms about service providers, demanded SMS verification (which cost the association millions), and called for greater safeguards.

The Association has defended the process overall, emphasizing that results were announced and the election delivered a historic milestone for gender representation.

However, Akinboro’s interview underscores ongoing calls for reforms to restore confidence among Nigeria’s lawyers.

As the new leadership prepares to take office, the legal fraternity will be watching closely to see whether this election strengthens or undermines the NBA’s role as a pillar of justice, rule of law, and professional excellence in Nigeria.