Breaking: NBA election collapses, Osigwe’s resignation demanded
by The Eagle Online · The Eagle OnlineThe process for the election of a new president for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) collapsed in the early hours of Saturday, with some members demanding for the resignation of the incumbent, Afam Osigwe (SAN),
Three lawyers are seeking the post: Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya.
But shortly after voting commenced, the online voting platform reportedly collapsed.
A statement by a group within the NBA, which captured the timelines for what transpired, described it as a national embarrassment, with a demand that Osigwe should resign.
The group, Advocate for Rule of Law & Credibility, said: “At 12:35am, the Nigerian Bar Association’s election did not just fail.
“It collapsed in full public disgrace.
“After weeks of preparation, millions spent, and endless assurances, what we got was chaos.
“Members kept vigil all night only to be met with a broken portal and deafening silence.”
Describing it as a night of failure, the group gave details of what happened.
It said: “This is the full record of what happened:
“1. Server Boot Failure: At about 12:35am the election portal was still booting. The system was not ready.
“2. Navigation Errors: For those who managed to log in, error messages blocked every attempt to move to the next page. The code refused to populate.
“3. Missing Candidates: The pictures of 2 aspirants for President were missing from the ballot. Voters could not identify who they were voting for.
“4. Misspelled Names: To worsen matters, the names of candidates were misspelled. This is not just carelessness. It is a direct assault on the dignity and identity of aspirants.
“5. Abrupt Shutdown: Without notice, without explanation, the server went off. The election we waited for was summarily closed.
“No extension. No update. No reason.”
The Advocate for Rule of Law & Credibility described the development as incompetence at the highest level.
It said: “This is not a ‘technical glitch.’
“This is leadership failure.”
It said the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) cannot preach transparency to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), government, and world, and then conduct an election where servers crash, candidates pictures disappear, names are misspelled, votes cannot be cast, and the process is shut down at midnight with zero accountability
It added: “What message does this send?
“That the Bar, the conscience of the nation, has no capacity to manage its own affairs?
“Lawyers stayed awake, logged in, and were humiliated. That is disrespect to the entire profession.”
The group said in the circumstance, the only honourable thing is for Osigwe to resign.
It said: “Mr. President, leadership means taking responsibility.
“Under your watch, the NBA election failed on every metric: technology, logistics, accuracy, and communication.
“The misspelled names alone show the level of recklessness.
“For the sake of the integrity of the Bar, you must resign immediately.
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“Nigerian lawyers deserve a credible, verifiable election conducted by a leadership that respects us and has the competence to deliver.
“We will not accept a flawed process.
“We will not accept silence.”
In a statement he issued following the development, a lawyer based in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Dr. Olusegun F. Akeredolu, said: “The unfortunate events that have characterized the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) National Elections, culminating in the suspension of voting, have exposed serious technological glitches, procedural irregularities, and glaring inequities that have significantly eroded confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.
“As a member of the Nigerian Bar, I am deeply concerned that an election intended to strengthen our democratic culture has instead generated widespread dissatisfaction and questions about its integrity.
“In the circumstances, I respectfully call for the immediate postponement of the election to allow for a comprehensive review and the establishment of a process that guarantees transparency, fairness, and equal treatment for every eligible voter.
“The failures witnessed so far have diminished the image of our revered Association and demand decisive corrective action.
“Accordingly, I call for the immediate disbandment of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) and the appointment of a fresh, credible, independent, and competent committee to conduct a free, fair, transparent, and verifiable election.
“I also urge the President of the Nigerian Bar Association to tender an unreserved apology to Nigerian lawyers for the avoidable embarrassment, inconvenience, and loss of confidence occasioned by the handling of the electoral process.
“The Nigerian Bar must always exemplify the rule of law, accountability, and institutional integrity, and it is only by taking these necessary steps that confidence in our Association can be fully restored.”
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