Former NBA 1st Vice President, John Aikpokpo-Martins, has accused Egbe Amofin O’odua of failing to reciprocate the goodwill shown by the Mid-West Bar Forum ahead of the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association National Officers’ Election.
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Aikpokpo-Martins said the decision of Egbe Amofin to allegedly allow a candidate from its fold to contest for the office of 1st Vice President, after the Mid-West had conceded the NBA presidency to the South-West, amounted to betrayal and a breach of the spirit of zoning, fairness and institutional unity.
In a statement titled “Zoning, Fairness And The 2026 NBA Elections: Egbe Amofin’s Quest For The Office Of 1st Vice President Is A Betrayal,” he said the Mid-West Bar Forum acted in good faith to preserve unity and constitutional order within the NBA.
According to him, the Mid-West Bar Forum, in line with the zoning and rotation provisions of the NBA Constitution, particularly Articles 3 and 4 of Part III of the Second Schedule, formally conceded the 2026 NBA presidency to the South-West sub-zone, otherwise known as Egbe Amofin.
He said that following the concession, Mid-West aspirants were directed by the Mid-West Bar Forum to step down from the presidential race.
Aikpokpo-Martins explained that the Western Zone of the NBA is made up of the South-West and Mid-West sub-zones.
He noted that the Mid-West had produced the NBA President in 2014 and 2020 through Augustine Alegeh, SAN, and Olumide Akpata, respectively.
He said it was therefore in the spirit of equity, fairness and institutional amity that the Mid-West agreed that the 2026 presidential slot should go to the South-West.
He added that the NBA National Executive Council affirmed the concession and the rotation of the presidency to Egbe Amofin.
According to him, with the Mid-West stepping down from the presidential race, the NBA national election scheduled for July 18, 2026, will feature presidential candidates exclusively from Egbe Amofin.
Aikpokpo-Martins, however, argued that the same constitutional provision relied upon for the concession of the presidency also provides that the offices of President and 1st Vice President shall be zoned to the same zone.
He said this means that both offices are constitutionally zoned to the Western Zone, comprising Egbe Amofin and the Mid-West Bar Forum.
He maintained that having benefited from the voluntary concession of the presidency, Egbe Amofin ought, in the spirit of fairness, reciprocity and amity, to have conceded the office of 1st Vice President to the Mid-West.
He expressed disappointment that Egbe Amofin had allegedly fielded a candidate for the office of 1st Vice President in the person of Luqman Adekunle Laoye of the Ibadan Branch.
According to him, to the best of his knowledge and information, Egbe Amofin neither directed nor requested Laoye to withdraw from the race for 1st Vice President in favour of a candidate from the Mid-West.
Aikpokpo-Martins said the development was not in good faith and could create avoidable rancour within the Bar in the future.
“Let it not be mistaken that the Mid-West Bar Forum did not notice this or that we consented to it. No. We noticed it. We do not consent to it,” he said.
He said the Mid-West had hoped that Egbe Amofin would do what was necessary in the interest of unity and fairness without being prompted, but lamented that the expectation had not been met.
“The Mid-West kept its word on the Presidency. We expected Egbe Amofin to equally respect the spirit and letter of zoning as it relates to the 1st Vice Presidency. But Egbe Amofin did not reciprocate the hand of love, unity and friendship extended to it,” he said.
Aikpokpo-Martins described the alleged conduct as a betrayal and a warning sign for future relations within the Bar.
The statement comes amid heightened tension ahead of the 2026 NBA elections, which have already been marked by disputes over zoning, consensus arrangements, the role of regional Bar forums, and the interpretation of the NBA Constitution.
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