ABUJA — Less than a week before the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abuja Branch, popularly known as the Unity Bar, heads to the polls, the branch is grappling with a deepening electoral crisis fuelled by allegations of voter disenfranchisement, transparency concerns, and growing calls for intervention.
The crux of the controversy is the publication of a preliminary voters register containing only 239 accredited voters from a branch membership estimated at more than 10,000 lawyers.
The dramatic disparity has triggered outrage among members, with critics describing the development as one of the most serious electoral controversies in the history of the branch.
“This is not a mere administrative error,” said Sir Chidi Udekwe, President of Otu Oka-Iwu Abuja. “To exclude thousands of members from participating in the electoral process raises fundamental questions about the integrity, transparency, and legitimacy of the election.”
Questions Over Accreditation Process
Under the NBA Uniform Bye-Laws, eligibility to vote is tied to attendance at branch meetings within a specified period before an election. However, several members argue that the number of accredited voters published by the Electoral Committee bears little resemblance to the branch’s actual participation levels.
Critics allege that active members who regularly attended meetings were omitted from the register, while some names included on the list allegedly belong to individuals who rarely participated in branch activities. Some members have also claimed that the register contains the name of a deceased lawyer.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, and the Electoral Committee has yet to publicly address them.
The controversy has fuelled concerns that the accreditation process may have excluded a significant number of otherwise eligible voters, potentially affecting the outcome of the election.
Tensions Escalate at Branch Secretariat
The dispute intensified following efforts by members, particularly younger lawyers, to inspect attendance records that formed the basis of voter accreditation.
According to accounts from members present at the NBA Abuja Secretariat, requests to access attendance registers for lawyers within their first five years of practice were reportedly denied by officials of the Electoral Committee.
One member, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that repeated attempts to obtain access to the records were unsuccessful.
“The register became the centre of the dispute,” the member claimed. “Several lawyers wanted to verify their attendance records and understand how the voters list was compiled, but access was repeatedly denied.”
The member further alleged that tensions escalated during the disagreement and that a confrontation nearly broke out over access to the documents.
The Electoral Committee has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Calls for Audit and Electoral Reforms
As criticism mounted, stakeholders began demanding an immediate audit of the voters register and greater transparency regarding the accreditation process.
Among the demands being canvassed are:
- A comprehensive review of the voters list against branch attendance records;
- Public disclosure of the criteria used for accreditation;
- Recognition of virtual attendance at branch meetings where applicable;
- Extension of the objection and verification period for affected members; and
- Formal accountability measures for the Electoral Committee.
Some members have also floated the possibility of a boycott if concerns are not addressed before election day.
“The issue goes beyond a single election,” Udekwe said. “What is at stake is the credibility of the Unity Bar itself.”
Election Battle Continues Amid Turmoil
The crisis comes as campaigns intensify for the June 10 election, with Anthony Idoko and Yakubu Philemon, SAN, cleared to contest for the influential position of Branch Chairman.
The electoral process has also been complicated by petitions against candidates seeking other offices, including a challenge filed against a Social Secretary aspirant over alleged campaign activities said to have occurred before the official commencement of campaigning.
The dispute adds another layer of tension to an election already under intense scrutiny.
Wider Implications for the Legal Profession
The unfolding controversy arrives at a sensitive moment for the legal profession, with electoral disputes increasingly attracting attention within both branch and national NBA politics.
For many observers, the controversy presents a test of whether one of Nigeria’s most influential legal associations can uphold the democratic principles and procedural safeguards that lawyers routinely advocate in courts and public institutions.
With election day fast approaching and no public response yet from the Electoral Committee on the major allegations raised by members, pressure is mounting for greater transparency and clarity.
Whether the concerns are resolved before voting begins may ultimately determine not only the legitimacy of the next Unity Bar leadership but also the confidence of thousands of lawyers in the electoral process itself.
