The President-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has pledged to step down if credible evidence emerges that the 2026 NBA presidential election was manipulated in her favour.
Badejo-Okusanya made the declaration during a television interview on Thursday while responding to allegations by some contestants and members of the legal profession that the election was rigged.
She rejected the allegations, insisting that the electronic voting process was transparent, closely monitored and revealed no evidence of electoral malpractice.
According to the senior advocate, the 2026 election was the most scrutinised in the association’s history since the introduction of electronic voting and universal suffrage.
She explained that the voting pattern remained consistent throughout the exercise, with no unusual spikes or sudden surges that would suggest manipulation of the results.
Badejo-Okusanya said she maintained the lead from the beginning of the election until the final declaration of results, adding that none of her opponents overtook her at any stage of the process.
She noted that the electronic voting platform refreshed results every 10 seconds, allowing members of the association and the public to monitor the process in real time, which, according to her, demonstrated that the votes were recorded organically without irregularities.
Responding to comparisons with former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who acknowledged flaws in the election that brought him to office, Badejo-Okusanya said she had no interest in leading an association under a cloud of illegitimacy.
She maintained that she had publicly assured her fellow contestants that she would resign immediately if credible evidence showed the election was fundamentally flawed, stressing that her position remains unchanged.
On allegations that she enjoyed the backing of the outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, Badejo-Okusanya said he never personally informed her that she was his preferred candidate.
She added that while others may have held such views, she could not confirm them and was unaware of any endorsement.
The NBA president-elect also dismissed claims that her family’s relationship with the Federal Government could affect the independence of the association.
She argued that the NBA remains an independent professional body whose mandate is to serve its members and uphold the rule of law, noting that her loyalty is to the legal profession and the members who elected her.
Badejo-Okusanya said her administration would focus on enhancing the NBA’s professional value to lawyers while strengthening its role in promoting justice, defending the rule of law and serving as a watchdog in society.
She expressed hope that her tenure would be remembered for making the association more relevant to legal practitioners and for advancing the protection of justice and the rights of vulnerable Nigerians.