The president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) has firmly denied the allegations of bias, partisan conduct and abuse of institutional platforms, describing the petition against him as legally untenable and factually baseless.
The allegations, contained in a petition addressed to the NBA Board of Trustees and circulated on social media, were authored by two senior lawyers, Muyiwa Akinboro (SAN) and Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe (SAN).
They accused the NBA President of interfering in the association’s electoral process, acting in a partisan manner at official events and undermining confidence in the leadership of the Bar.
But in a detailed response issued by his counsel, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), Osigwe argued that no electoral process capable of interference currently exists under the NBA Constitution.
According to him, aspirants only formally emerge after executing and submitting an Expression of Interest form.
As at the time the petition was filed, neither of the petitioners had picked up or submitted such forms, meaning there were no constitutionally recognised aspirants or candidates.
“It is legally untenable to allege interference with an electoral process that has not commenced,” he said, adding that an election cannot be compromised before it legally begins.
While clarifying that the President does not speak for the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), he noted that the committee had so far issued only four public notices and that the window for expression of interest is expected to close on February 28, 2026.
Mohammed maintained that allegations of interference could only stand where there is evidence that the ECNBA is unable to act independently and neutrally, a claim that has not been substantiated.
He argued that ECNBA has constitutional provisions that guarantee its independence, stressing that the body is expressly independent of both the President and the National Executive Committee (NEC).
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