An Oyo state high court sitting in Ibadan has restrained members of the electoral committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) from performing any function relating to the association’s 2026 national officers’ election.
The court also barred Afam Osigwe, the NBA president, from
taking steps toward constituting the electoral committee or interfering in the
conduct of the election pending further proceedings.
In an ex parte order delivered on March 4, G. A. Opayinka,
the presiding judge, granted the application filed by four lawyers challenging
the legitimacy of the electoral process.
The applicants are Ibrahim Lawal, Raymond Oki, Omotan
Olusola Ogunmodede, and Gabriel Ojo Adekunle Ijalana.
According to the enrolled order, the court restrained the
fifth to ninth defendants from “parading or holding themselves out as the
chairman, secretary or members of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar
Association (ECNBA) or from performing, undertaking, or participating in any
act, step or process whatsoever in furtherance of the conduct of the 2026
National Officers’ Election of the Nigerian Bar Association.”
The court also issued another order against the NBA
president.
The ruling stated that the second defendant is restrained
“from taking any steps whatsoever towards the constitution and composition of
the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association or from participating
in, supervising, influencing, or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever
with the conduct of the said 2026 NBA National Officers’ Election.”
The orders will remain in force pending the hearing and
determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.
The judge adjourned the case to March 12 for the hearing of
the motion.
The suit, marked I/221/2026, lists the incorporated trustees
of the NBA, Osigwe, the body of benchers, and the attorney-general of the
federation (AGF) as defendants.
Ahamefule J. Elam, chairman of the ECNBA, and several
members of the electoral committee are also joined in the suit.
Earlier, another interim order issued by the Oyo state high
court on February 24 had restrained the NBA from recognising or processing the
nomination of any presidential candidate for the 2026 election other than the
consensus candidate of Egbe Amofin O’odua.
That order, issued in suit I/205/2026 filed by the
incorporated trustees of Egbe Amofin O’odua, “effectively” halted the
presidential nomination process pending the hearing of an interlocutory
application.
With the latest order restraining members of the electoral
committee and the NBA president from taking steps relating to the election, the
conduct and timeline of the association’s 2026 national officers’ poll now face
uncertainty.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com