The African Bar Association has condemned Amnesty International’s intervention in the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association electoral dispute, describing its criticism of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, as unwarranted and misplaced.
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In a press statement dated July 11, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, and signed by its Director of Publicity and Protocol, Nicholas Sumba, AFBA said it was disappointed by Amnesty International’s statement concerning the AGF’s role in the NBA election controversy.
AFBA said the AGF’s intervention, as publicly communicated, amounted to suggestions aimed at facilitating an amicable, lawful and institutional resolution of a dispute affecting Nigeria’s foremost professional legal association.
According to the association, the intervention did not amount to coercion or usurpation of the NBA’s autonomy, but reflected what it described as the legitimate interest of the Chief Law Officer of the Federation in promoting respect for the rule of law and institutional stability.
AFBA said Amnesty International’s description of the AGF’s intervention as “interference” was therefore misplaced.
The continental Bar body acknowledged Amnesty International’s global reputation in the promotion and protection of human rights through research, documentation, advocacy and campaigns against human rights violations.
However, it argued that internal electoral disagreements within a professional association, as well as policy suggestions offered by a public official toward peaceful resolution, do not ordinarily fall within Amnesty International’s recognised human rights mandate unless there are clear allegations of violations of fundamental rights protected under domestic or international law.
AFBA warned that by entering a debate it said principally concerns institutional governance and professional self-regulation, Amnesty International risks extending its public advocacy beyond its recognised area of competence.
It added that such interventions could inadvertently politicise issues better addressed through established legal and institutional processes, and may undermine the organisation’s perceived impartiality in matters that genuinely involve human rights concerns.
The African Bar Association reiterated its commitment to the independence of the legal profession, the rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes through constitutional and institutional mechanisms.
It urged all stakeholders in the NBA electoral process to exercise restraint and show fidelity to the NBA Constitution, Bar leaders and elders, institutional dispute resolution mechanisms and due process.
AFBA also called on Amnesty International to exercise institutional restraint and remain focused on its globally acknowledged mandate of protecting and promoting human rights.
According to the association, preserving the clarity of Amnesty International’s mandate would strengthen its credibility and effectiveness in addressing serious human rights challenges confronting Nigeria, Africa and the wider international community.
AFBA said it remains committed to constructive engagement with institutions dedicated to justice, democracy and the rule of law, while maintaining that interventions in matters of professional governance should be guided by competence, legal principle and respect for institutional boundaries.
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