NBA UDU BRANCH IS PREPARED FOR THE 2026 NBA NATIONAL OFFICERS' ELECTION SCHEDULED TO HOLD ON THE 18TH–19TH JULY, 2026

The attention of the Nigerian Bar Association, Udu Branch, has been drawn to a directive presently circulating and purportedly issued by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation, which, amongst other things, allegedly directs the postponement of the 2026 NBA National Officers' Election, the disbandment of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), and the introduction of the National Identification Number (NIN) as the unique identifier for voter validation.

As stakeholders in the Nigerian Bar Association and an elected member of its National Executive Council (NEC), we wish to raise some very disturbing concerns as to the constitutional authority of the HAGF to issue the said directives, assuming he ever did have such powers. The Nigerian Bar Association is, by law, an independent body not subject to the control or whims of the HAGF or any other authority. No such circumstance has arisen as would entitle the General Council of the Bar, which has the HAGF as its head, to direct the postponement of our National Elections, the disbandment of the ECNBA, or the alteration of our electoral process.

We hereby state unequivocally that the Udu Branch is prepared for the election as scheduled for the 18th–19th July, 2026. The Branch has diligently reviewed the voters' register recently released by the ECNBA and hereby confirms that every name listed under the Udu Branch belongs to an actual, verifiable member of the Branch who paid his or her Bar Practising Fees (BPF) on or before 31st March, 2026. No fictitious name has been included in the list of voters published for the Branch.
We further draw the attention of the HAGF to a serious and practical concern regarding the proposed use of NIN as the unique identifier for voter validation. Investigations within the Branch reveal that approximately 65% of married female lawyers in Udu Branch currently bear their married names in their day-to-day legal practice and other affairs, including on their NIN records. However, these same lawyers have not updated their names on the roll of the Supreme Court in view of the difficulty involved in the process and the cost implication, which still reflects their maiden names as at their call to the Nigerian Bar. Should NIN be adopted as the unique identifier for this election, these lawyers, along with other members who have similar challenges with respect to their names, stand to be disenfranchised, as their NIN particulars would not match the names on the Supreme Court roll against which their eligibility to vote would ordinarily be verified.

In light of the above, the Udu Branch respectfully calls on the ECNBA not to be swayed or be deterred by the suspicious directives purportedly emanating from the HAGF, and to proceed with the implementation of its already published electoral timetable, culminating in the election of National Officers on the 18th of July, 2026.

We also align ourselves to the position of the Nigerian Bar Association statement issued by the NBA President dated 7th July, 2026 on the alleged directive of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation.

SIGNED
A.O. ADEHOR, ESQ
CHAIRMAN

D.O. OMAGE, ESQ
SECRETARY