The Egbe Amofin Oodua, a forum of Yoruba lawyers, has called for the postponement of the forthcoming Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election, citing concerns over the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
Speaking in Ibadan, Chairman of the group’s Governing Council, Isiaka Olagunju (SAN), alleged that the NBA leadership failed to honour an earlier agreement with stakeholders to postpone the election and implement key electoral reforms before the poll.
According to Olagunju, the proposed reforms include adopting National Identification Number (NIN)-linked phone numbers for voter authentication instead of the current email-based verification system, which he said has been prone to manipulation in previous elections.
He argued that postponing the election would allow adequate voter sensitisation and ensure the implementation of reforms capable of guaranteeing a free, fair and credible electoral process.
Olagunju also alleged that the NBA leadership had not maintained neutrality, claiming that some aspirants received preferential treatment during the electioneering process.
He further disclosed that the forum had earlier challenged the composition of the NBA Electoral Committee in court, while commending the Attorney-General of the Federation for efforts to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders.
The senior advocate warned that proceeding with the election without implementing the agreed reforms could undermine confidence in the NBA’s electoral system, stressing that the group’s campaign is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the legal profession rather than supporting any particular candidate.
