The pan-Yoruba lawyers’ association, Egbe Amofin O’odua, has criticised the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and other lawyers over their opposition to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, concerning the 2026 NBA National Officers’ Election.
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In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju, SAN, and Secretary, Prince Adetunji Oso, SAN, the group described the criticisms directed at Fagbemi as “unfortunate and misleading.”
It accused Osigwe, the Eastern Bar Forum, the Midwest Bar Forum and other critics of making disparaging comments against the AGF and senior lawyers from the South-West without objectively addressing the issues raised in his intervention.
Fagbemi had reportedly called for the postponement of the election to August following recommendations arising from consultations held on June 11, 2026, with former NBA presidents and lawyers involved in pending election-related cases.
The concerns reportedly included the proposed compulsory use of the National Identification Number for electronic voting, pending litigation affecting the election and questions surrounding the electronic voting service provider engaged by the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Osigwe had rejected the intervention, describing it as an unconstitutional intrusion into the internal affairs of an independent professional association and arguing that the AGF lacked the legal authority to interfere with the NBA’s electoral process.
The NBA President had also questioned the outcome of the June 11 meeting and alleged possible bias involving members of the three-member committee, including former NBA President Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN.
However, Egbe Amofin rejected that characterisation, maintaining that the AGF’s position followed the report of a committee constituted after the June 11 meeting attended by former NBA presidents from 1998 and lead counsel in three election-related matters.
The cases identified by the group were Suit Nos. I/205/2026 and I/221/2026, as well as Appeal No. CA/IB/110/2026.
According to Egbe Amofin, Osigwe did not attend the June 11 meeting and also failed to participate in a subsequent meeting scheduled for June 23.
The group said critics of the AGF had concentrated on attacking personalities rather than addressing the concerns raised about the credibility and legality of the electoral process.
“These vituperators, purveyors of commentaries or opinion peddlers have chosen not to address, positively, realistically and objectively, any of the directions of the HAGF,” the statement said.
Egbe Amofin maintained that the issues raised concerning voter identification, pending court cases and the electronic voting provider deserved serious consideration rather than outright dismissal.
The association further argued that the controversy should be examined against the NBA’s responsibility to uphold the rule of law, public confidence and democratic legitimacy.
It warned that the credibility of the Association could be damaged if its internal electoral process failed to meet the same democratic and institutional standards lawyers regularly demanded from public authorities.
The group said the NBA could not credibly insist on transparency, accountability and constitutionalism in national affairs while allegedly disregarding similar principles in the conduct of its own elections.
Egbe Amofin therefore urged stakeholders to move beyond personal attacks and address the substantive legal and institutional questions surrounding the 2026 electoral process.
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