Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya Elected National Bar Association President

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The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has been elected as the new President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Badejo-Okusanya, who is a partner at ALP NG & Co. and campaigned on the slogan, “A Bolder Bar That Works for Everyone,” promised reforms aimed at improving lawyers’ welfare and strengthening the association.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the results on Sunday at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja after the association’s 2026 national election, which was delayed by technical issues and a cyberattack.

Badejo-Okusanya polled 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the votes cast, defeating Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who secured 7,934 votes (30.39 per cent), while Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, polled 5,855 votes (22.43 per cent). According to the Electoral Committee, a total of 26,106 votes were recorded in the election. The president-elect will serve a two-year term from 2026 to 2028, succeeding Afam Osigwe, SAN.

Other national officers elected include Oghenero Okoro, who emerged as First Vice President with 11,024 votes; Afam Okeke, elected General Secretary with 8,478 votes; Aghogho Gladys, elected Assistant General Secretary with 14,312 votes; and Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam, who won the position of Welfare Secretary with 14,911 votes.

Badejo-Okusanya was not present when the results were announced. A member of her campaign team, Aminu Gadanya, SAN, said her absence was due to a flight delay and added that she intended to reach out to the other candidates in the spirit of unity.

Speaking after the announcement, outgoing NBA President Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the election survived attempts to disrupt the process, including a cyberattack that forced the Electoral Committee to rebuild and migrate its ICT infrastructure to a more secure server. He said the committee would review the challenges encountered during the election to strengthen future electoral processes and improve the association’s cybersecurity.

Osigwe congratulated the newly elected officers and urged them to work with those who were unsuccessful in the election. He also called on all members of the association to support the incoming leadership.

“The unity of the Bar cannot and should never be negotiated,” he said.

Writing on X after her victory was announced, Badejo-Okusanya described the election as “a victory for every member who believed our Association can be stronger, more inclusive and more responsive.”

“This victory is not mine alone; it belongs to every member who believed that our Association can be stronger, more inclusive, more responsive, and better positioned to serve the interests of all lawyers,” she said.

She said conversations with lawyers across the country during her campaign shaped her vision for the association and pledged to lead an NBA that serves every member.

“The election is over. We are one Bar, united by a common commitment to the advancement of our profession and the defence of justice and the rule of law,” she said.

Badejo-Okusanya also congratulated the other contestants and thanked members of her campaign team, volunteers and supporters for their commitment throughout the election.

Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership across many legal and professional bodies in Nigeria. Badejo-Okusanya’s election comes more than three decades after the NBA last elected a woman to its highest office, underscoring the slow pace of women’s representation in the association’s leadership.