It is official … the NBA President Elect is Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, SAN. As at 12midnight, July 31, 2016 … of the 6,932 Total Accredited Voters, Total Votes cast was 5,442; and AB as he is fondly called, polled a whooping 3,055 votes to defeat his only opponent, Joseph-Kyari Gadzama, SAN who garnered 2,384 votes in the first NBA universal suffrage and electronic voting election initiated by the Augustine Alegeh, SAN administration as part of the reform strategies to reposition the Bar in the digital age. “All of us are winners” stated Mr. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to the calm chants of #ABraveNewBar in the Situation Room of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 2016 Elections, as he gave his acceptance speech upon being returned elected as the President of the NBA, the largest professional body in Africa. This victory followed a keenly contested election which commenced in April 2016 and was concluded by the collation of total votes cast at 12.00midnight, of July 31, 2016. Amongst contestants for other positions, Olagunju Isiaka polled 2,721 ahead of Yamah Desmond who scored 2,510 in the General Secretary category; Aisha Ado Abdullahi from the Kano Branch, emerged Treasurer with total votes of 2,626 to narrowly defeat Chukwuma Mary who polled 2,613; Dajan Caleb Gal, Ubany Monday and Benedict Oji emerged unopposed as First, Second and Third Vice Presidents respectively; while Balogun Rafiu Oyeyemi is the newly elected Legal Adviser to the NBA after polling 3,068 votes to defeat Onwuzulike Chuks Christopher who garnered 2043 votes. ko The out-going NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN noted that though this has been one of the most keenly contested elections of the NBA; it was the cheapest ever organized by the NBA in terms of overall resource allocation. Other sources at this august occasion opined that the emergence of A. B. Mahmoud, SAN as President is perceived by many legal practitioners across the country as the dawn of a new era for the NBA with the launch of #ABraveNewBar, which would re-engineer the legal profession, cater more keenly to the interest of young lawyers and deliver a clean judiciary. Whilst giving his acceptance speech, a very overtly happy AB said; “It is indeed an honour to serve the Bar at this time. I congratulate all of us who participated and would like to state that this victory is for the Bar, this victory is for you … indeed all of us are winners …” #AllofUSareWinners It would be recalled that the contestants had to crisscross the length and breadth of the country, selling their respective manifestoes to the electorates in a battle field of ideas which culminated in the enthusiastically contested elections which held on Saturday and Sunday July 30 and 31, 2016 respectively. Omololu Kassim ABMahmoud Integrity Group Abuja, FCT]]>