Senior Advocate Leads Presidential Race as Nigerian Bar Association Concludes National Poll .webp "NBA Election: Badejo-Okusanya on Course to Become President as Voting Closes")
.webp "NBA Election: Badejo-Okusanya on Course to Become President as Voting Closes")
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya is on course to become the next President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) after taking a commanding lead as voting concluded in the association's 2026 national elections.
Results published on the live dashboard of the NBA Electoral Committee showed Badejo-Okusanya leading the presidential contest with 12,317 votes, representing about 47.18% of the ballots counted at the close of voting. The figures placed her ahead of the other contenders, making her the clear frontrunner pending the official declaration of final results.
If officially declared the winner, Badejo-Okusanya will make history as only the second woman to lead the Nigerian Bar Association, one of the country's most influential professional bodies. Her emergence would mark a significant milestone for gender representation within Nigeria's legal profession.
The election attracted thousands of eligible lawyers from across the country, who voted electronically to elect national officers of the association. Despite an earlier disruption linked to a cyberattack on the electronic voting platform, the Electoral Committee restored the system and successfully concluded the poll.
Throughout the campaign, candidates outlined plans to strengthen the welfare of legal practitioners, promote judicial reforms, enhance continuing legal education and reinforce the independence of the legal profession. Members of the association have described the election as one of the most keenly contested in recent years.
The NBA Electoral Committee is expected to complete the collation and verification of votes before formally announcing the final results. Until then, the provisional figures continue to indicate a decisive advantage for Badejo-Okusanya.
Observers say the outcome of the election could shape the future direction of the association as it addresses key issues affecting Nigeria's justice system, the rule of law and the welfare of lawyers nationwide.
With voting now concluded, attention has shifted to the official declaration of results, as members of the legal community await confirmation of the association's next national leadership.