A fierce war of words has erupted within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) ahead of its 2026 national elections, with former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, accusing a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and ex- General Secretary of the NBA Muyiwa Akinboro of attempting to manipulate the electoral process and disenfranchise members of the legal profession.
In a blistering message posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Odinkalu dismissed Akinboro’s recent statement on the ongoing debate around the consultation process involving Egbe Amofin Oodua, describing it as a narrative that “verges on an insult to our collective intellect.”
“My brother, I will not disappoint you,” Odinkalu wrote in the sharply worded post. “So I will not allow you to get away so easily with this long statement that verges on an insult to our collective intellect.”
The human rights scholar said Akinboro’s defence centred heavily on Egbe Amofin, a socio-professional association of Yoruba lawyers, arguing that the majority of lawyers eligible to vote in the NBA elections are not members of the group.
“I am not a member of Egbe. Like me, a clear majority of lawyers with a vote in the NBA are ineligible to belong to the Egbe,” Odinkalu wrote. “So your statement is directed at the wrong crowd.”
But the former NHRC chair’s most explosive allegation was that Akinboro and his allies were allegedly attempting to influence judicial processes to impose a leadership outcome on the association.
“The fact that you and your supporters are going around busily working to arrange judges in Ibadan (wherever else) to impose you on us and to disenfranchise me is my business,” Odinkalu said.
He vowed to resist any attempt to undermine the voting rights of lawyers within the association.
“On your design to disenfranchise us all based on your side deals in an entity in which most of us have no business, I will fight you on that with everything and everyone I can muster.”
Akinboro Defends Democratic Credentials
The sharp rebuke followed a detailed statement issued earlier by Akinboro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Secretary-General of the NBA, in which he denied claims that he intended to rely on judicial intervention rather than votes to emerge as the next president of the association.
In the address titled “Democracy, Fairness and the Future of the Bar”, Akinboro said he remained committed to the democratic traditions of the legal body.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said, responding to claims that he planned to use court orders to secure victory.
“I have always believed that the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association must emerge from the freely expressed will of its members through a transparent, credible and constitutionally compliant electoral process.”
Akinboro, who has previously served as chairman of the NBA Abuja Branch and as the association’s general secretary, insisted that his commitment to democratic principles within the Bar was “unwavering.”
He also rejected allegations that he supported any move to reverse universal suffrage in the NBA’s electoral system.
“My position has consistently been that the electoral process of the Nigerian Bar Association must operate strictly within the provisions of the NBA Constitution,” he said.
Egbe Amofin Controversy
Central to the controversy is the role of Egbe Amofin Oodua, which recently hosted consultations with aspirants for the NBA presidency.
Akinboro pointed out that all contenders for the office appeared before the group during its consultation process.
“It is a matter of public knowledge that all aspirants for the presidency appeared before Egbe Amofin,” he said.
He questioned why those now criticising the process participated in it.
“If there were concerns that Egbe Amofin would be partial, why did we voluntarily participate in that process?” he asked.
Petition Against NBA President
The dispute comes amid fresh tension within the association following a petition submitted to the NBA Board of Trustees by Akinboro and another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe.
In the petition dated February 15, 2026, the two senior lawyers accused NBA President Afam Osigwe of what they described as persistent partisan conduct ahead of the elections.
According to the petitioners, the NBA president openly declared during a National Executive Council meeting in Maiduguri that he could not remain neutral in the upcoming election because he intended to exercise his right to vote.
The statement, they argued, had created a serious crisis of confidence within the association.
The petition also alleged that institutional platforms under the authority of the NBA president were used during the 2025 Annual General Conference in Enugu in a manner that favoured a particular presidential aspirant.
Among other accusations, the SANs claimed that campaign materials such as umbrellas and face caps bearing the insignia of a preferred aspirant were distributed across branches using staff of the NBA National Secretariat.
They described the alleged use of institutional resources as a “grave abuse” funded by members of the association.
Growing Tensions Ahead of NBA 2026 Elections
The escalating exchanges underscore deepening divisions within Nigeria’s legal community as the race for the NBA presidency gathers momentum.
With allegations of judicial manipulation, petitions against the sitting president, and a fierce public confrontation among leading members of the Bar, observers warn that the coming months could test the credibility of the association’s electoral process.
The NBA, often regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential professional bodies and a major voice on rule-of-law issues, now finds itself grappling with an internal political storm that could shape its leadership and institutional reputation for years to come.
