The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Chief Aham Ejelam (SAN), has insisted that the Nigerian Bar Association’s 2026 national officers’ election will hold as scheduled on July 18, despite growing controversy surrounding the exercise.

Ejelam also dismissed calls for his resignation, declaring that he would not be intimidated by what he described as blackmail and pressure from individuals opposed to the electoral process.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the ECNBA chairman reaffirmed that the election would proceed in line with the revised timetable published by the committee.

“The election remains scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026, in accordance with the revised timetable published by the ECNBA,” he said.

His statement was in response to an open letter by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN, who had called on him to step down as chairman of the electoral committee.

Reacting to the demand, Ejelam said his acceptance of the position was driven by a sense of professional responsibility rather than political considerations.

“My acceptance of the chairmanship of the ECNBA was not motivated by personal ambition, political patronage or any promise of reward. It was an acceptance of a difficult professional responsibility at a critical moment in the history of the Bar,” he stated.

He rejected allegations of corruption levelled against him, saying no credible evidence had been presented to support the claims.

“The repeated use of condemnatory expressions cannot transform conjecture into fact, nor can the threat of reputational damage substitute for proof,” Ejelam said, adding that false accusations carry legal consequences.

The ECNBA chairman maintained that the committee was duly constituted in accordance with the NBA Constitution and derives its authority from the association’s competent organs.

He stressed that neither he nor members of the committee could be removed outside the procedures provided under the NBA Constitution or by the order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

“The ECNBA remains bound by the Constitution and will continue to discharge its mandate unless otherwise directed by a competent organ of the Association or a court of competent jurisdiction,” he added.

Egbe Amofin Defends AGF Over Election Directive

Meanwhile, the Egbe Amofin O’odua, the umbrella body of Yoruba lawyers, has defended the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), over his intervention in the NBA electoral process.

The group criticised comments by NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), and other stakeholders who accused the Attorney General of interfering in the affairs of the association.

The controversy followed Fagbemi’s recommendation after a June 11 meeting with former NBA presidents that the election be postponed from July to August to allow unresolved issues to be addressed.

The Attorney General reportedly cited concerns over the mandatory use of the National Identification Number (NIN) for electronic voting, pending court cases, and the appointment of what he described as an untested electronic voting service provider.

Osigwe had rejected the recommendation, describing it as unconstitutional and beyond the powers of the Attorney General, arguing that it amounted to interference in the affairs of an independent professional body and violated Section 10(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act.

However, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju (SAN), and Secretary, Prince Adetunji Oso (SAN), Egbe Amofin faulted the criticisms directed at Fagbemi.

The group described the attacks on the Attorney General and some senior lawyers from the South-West as unfair, accusing critics of failing to address the substantive issues raised regarding the electoral process.

According to Egbe Amofin, the Attorney General’s recommendations were based on the report of a three-member committee constituted after consultations with former NBA presidents and legal representatives involved in pending litigation concerning the election.

The group urged members of the legal profession to uphold democratic principles within the NBA, stressing that the association’s credibility depends on conducting elections that inspire public confidence and comply with the rule of law.

“The institutional credibility of the NBA is at stake. Lawyers cannot credibly demand democratic standards from others unless they uphold such standards within their own Association,” the statement said.