* Justice Minister brokers peace deal with ex-NBA presidents, orders withdrawal of court cases, rejects Egbe Amofin’s zoning plan and pushes mandatory NIN verification
Barely two weeks to the scheduled Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has stepped into the escalating crisis rocking the association, directing that the poll be postponed until August or “any date soon thereafter.”
The intervention, which follows months of bitter litigation, accusations of bias, and a failed push to produce a consensus presidential candidate, represents the most significant attempt yet to salvage the credibility of the 2026 NBA elections. (LEADERSHIP Newspapers)
In a document circulated after what was described as a high-level peace-building initiative convened by Fagbemi in his capacity as Leader of the Bar, the Attorney-General disclosed that virtually all living past Presidents of the NBA participated in the deliberations.
The meeting reached far-reaching resolutions aimed at restoring confidence in the electoral process.
Key Resolutions
Among the decisions reached were:
- The 2026 NBA National Elections should be postponed to a feasible date in August or shortly thereafter;
- National Identification Number (NIN) should become a compulsory means of voter authentication;
- An Independent Electoral Oversight and Audit Committee should be constituted to supervise the election whenever conducted;
- All pending court cases relating to the elections should be withdrawn;
- Serving NBA Presidents should refrain from openly backing or promoting preferred candidates during elections;
- The technology service providers engaged by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) should be disengaged immediately over concerns about their experience and credibility in managing elections of such scale; and
- The controversial micro-zoning arrangement adopted by Egbe Amofin O’odua should not be implemented in the current election cycle.
Intervention Comes After Months of Turmoil
Fagbemi’s intervention follows months of unprecedented internal wrangling that has threatened to derail the NBA’s leadership transition.
The election has been dogged by multiple suits before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. In one case, lawyers successfully obtained interim orders restraining the ECNBA from proceeding with aspects of the electoral process and questioning the manner in which the electoral committee was constituted. Another suit challenged attempts to enforce Egbe Amofin’s consensus arrangement, which sought to produce a sole presidential candidate from the South-West. Although appeals and subsequent proceedings altered the immediate effect of those interim orders, the litigation has continued to cast a shadow over the electoral process. (TheCable)
The consensus project itself eventually collapsed after only one aspirant stepped down, while the remaining leading contenders insisted on staying in the race, effectively ending hopes of an uncontested election.
Fresh Blow to ECNBA Timetable
The Attorney-General’s recommendations also directly challenge the timetable already published by the ECNBA, which fixed July 20 for the election and has continued preparations, including releasing the final list of qualified candidates, publishing the voters’ register and appointing electronic voting service providers.
Particularly significant is Fagbemi’s insistence on compulsory NIN verification, a proposal the ECNBA had previously rejected on the grounds that introducing it so close to the election could disenfranchise eligible voters and jeopardise the constitutional timetable.
What It Means
The Attorney-General’s intervention is expected to trigger intense debate within the legal community.
If accepted, it would effectively reset the election timetable, require the appointment of fresh oversight mechanisms, and potentially restore confidence among aggrieved stakeholders. However, it could also reopen constitutional questions over the autonomy of the NBA and the powers of the ECNBA, especially given that election preparations are already at an advanced stage.
It also places the NBA leadership under pressure to decide whether to embrace the peace deal negotiated by the country’s chief law officer or proceed with the July 20 election despite lingering disputes.
As of the time of filing this report, the NBA leadership had not issued any official response to Fagbemi’s recommendations.
Click here to read the entire resolution.
