82,213 Lawyers Set to Decide Next NBA President as Campaigns Hit Fever Pitch Ahead of July 18 Poll

By Tessy Ogbemi

No fewer than 82,213 lawyers have been cleared to vote in the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election scheduled for July 18, 2026, setting the stage for one of the association's most closely watched leadership contests in recent years.

According to an email circulated to NBA members and seen by City Lawyer, the eligible voters are drawn from 139 NBA branches nationwide, reflecting broad participation in the process to elect a new national executive that will steer the affairs of the association for the next two years.

In a related development, the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) disclosed that 671 legal practitioners who paid their practising fees before the stipulated deadline are currently listed without any branch affiliation.

The committee said the publication of the figures forms part of its transparency measures ahead of the election, while efforts are ongoing to reconcile the records of the affected lawyers before voting commences.

Lawyers whose names appear on the unassigned list have been advised to urgently verify their branch membership with their respective NBA branches to avoid being disenfranchised on election day.

The large number of eligible voters underscores increasing interest in the association's electoral process, with many members viewing the election as pivotal to the future direction of the legal profession in Nigeria.

Campaign activities have intensified across the country's 139 branches, with candidates focusing on critical issues including judicial independence, improved welfare for young lawyers, strengthening the rule of law, and institutional reforms within the NBA.

The contest has entered its final phase following the conclusion of national manifesto presentations and candidates' debates, which provided members with the opportunity to assess the vision and leadership capacity of the aspirants.

Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria are in the race for the NBA's top office: Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, SAN, FCIArb, and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya, SAN. Their campaigns have centred on restoring confidence in the association, enhancing members' welfare, and reinforcing the NBA's role in promoting justice, the rule of law, and democratic governance.

With the July 18 poll drawing near, attention is now focused on the ECNBA to deliver a credible, transparent, and seamless electoral process that reflects the will of the legal profession.