The Mid-West Bar Forum (MWBF) has reaffirmed its decision to concede the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the 2026 general elections to the South-West zone, in a move aimed at upholding constitutional zoning provisions and promoting unity within the legal profession. This follows a recent letter from Egbe Amofin Oodua, the Yoruba Lawyers’ Forum, which called on former NBA President Augustine Alegeh, SAN, to cease actions perceived as encouraging rebellion against the South-West’s regional consensus.
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In a letter dated September 22, 2025, addressed to Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju, SAN, Chairman of Egbe Amofin Oodua, the MWBF acknowledged receipt of Egbe’s correspondence dated September 17, 2024 noting the year as a typographical error, as the letter was actually received in 2025. The MWBF referenced its earlier letter dated August 22, 2025 (correcting another apparent date error), which formalized the concession. The response, signed by MWBF Chairman Olukunle O. Edun, SAN, and Secretary Mr. Kelly Ogbe, Esq., highlighted the adoption of this concession during the NBA National Executive Council meeting in Enugu on August 23, 2025, as part of fulfilling micro-zoning requirements under the NBA Constitution.
“We thank you for affirming the applicable constitutional provisions on sub-zoning of offices and the acceptance of same by the Western Zone,” the MWBF letter stated. However, it clarified that while the Forum has not adopted any specific candidate for the 2026 NBA presidency, it respects the right of its members to exercise their franchise freely, with each holding only one vote. The letter emphasized that the MWBF has directed its own aspirants to step down, leaving the field open exclusively to the South-West.
The exchange stems from ongoing discussions within the Western Zone, which encompasses both the South-West (Yoruba states) and Mid-West (Edo and Delta states). Under the NBA’s rotational system, outlined in the 2021 Constitution (as amended), the presidency is zoned to the West for 2026, following the Mid-West’s tenure in 2020 with Olumide Akpata. The MWBF’s initial concession in August directed former aspirants like John Aikpokpo-Martins and Mandy Asagba to withdraw, paving the way for South-West candidates.
Egbe Amofin Oodua’s September 17 letter expressed concerns over Alegeh’s alleged “open partisanship,” accusing him of campaigning against the South-West’s consensus and potentially fracturing unity. It described his actions as a “flagrant contradiction” to the MWBF’s concession and urged him to act as a unifying elder statesman rather than descending into factionalism. Alegeh, who served as NBA President from 2014 to 2016 and hails from the Mid-West, has been noted for his role in advancing universal suffrage in NBA elections but is now at the center of this zoning debate.
In its response, the MWBF noted awareness of four candidates from the South-West who have indicated interest in the presidency and are actively canvassing support. The Forum reiterated its commitment to bar unity, stating it cannot dictate or impose on members but looks forward to the South-West producing the next NBA President in 2026. “The spirit of bar unity will support the candidate from the South-West that emerges as the NBA President,” the letter concluded, while remaining committed to the ideals espoused in the NBA Constitution.
Mid-West Forum Clarifies 2026 NBA Rotational Presidency, Urges South-WestCopies of the MWBF’s response were sent to key stakeholders, including current NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the National Executive Council, trustees, past presidents, and past general secretaries.
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