Senior lawyer calls for NBA president’s ouster over alleged ethical breaches

The lawyer said the developments raised serious concerns about transparency and institutional integrity, while NBA president, Mr Osigwe, denies the allegations.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, has demanded the immediate resignation of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, over alleged ethical breaches and non-disclosure of funds.

The call comes in reaction to payments allegedly made to senior advocates who were delegates at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the association which was held earlier in February in Maiduguri, Borno State.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr Abdul-Rasheed also cited previous financial transaction involving Rivers State Government and Mr Osigwe’s alleged partiality in the upcoming elections to back his call for the NBA president’s ouster.

Mr Abdul-Rasheed, who is a former publicity secretary of the NBA, also raised the controversies surrounding the N300 million from Rivers State for the 2025 Annual General Conference.

He also criticised Mr Osigwe for allegedly declaring that he would not be neutral in the upcoming 2026 elections, saying such partisanship threatens the credibility of the Association’s leadership. The tenure of Mr Osigwe and the rest of the national officers of the body of Nigerian lawyers ends in August. So, the NBA elections is expected to be held by July.

Mr Abdul-Rasheed said the developments had raised serious concerns about transparency and institutional integrity, warning that failure to address the issues could undermine the NBA’s moral authority to speak on governance, corruption, and the rule of law.

“The disturbing revelations emerging from the Maiduguri NEC meeting and the pattern of conduct surrounding financial dealings now present a far more troubling picture, one that compels the legal community to act decisively in defence of its integrity.

“What is at stake is not merely the reputation of one individual office holder. What is at stake is the moral standing of the Nigerian Bar Association itself, the very body that claims the authority to speak for the rule of law, ethical governance, and public accountability in Nigeria,” he stated.

Mr Abdul-Rasheed alleged that during the NEC meeting held in Maiduguri, the Borno State Government presented $2,000 to each SAN in attendance as an “attendance fee.”

He said the payment was not extended to other categories of delegates, including branch chairpersons, secretaries, statutory NEC members, and young lawyers.

According to him, there is no recognised NBA policy permitting third parties, particularly a state government, to pay attendance fees to selected participants at a statutory meeting of the association.

He further argued that the NBA operates a transparency policy requiring full disclosure and remittance of any gifts or financial benefits received in connection with official assignments into the association’s treasury.

Mr Abdul-Rasheed questioned why the payment was denominated in foreign currency and whether the expenditure was captured in the Borno State Appropriation Law.

He alleged that there had been no formal disclosure by the NBA leadership regarding the funds or confirmation that the money had been remitted to the association’s account.

He, however, commended what he described as the action of one unnamed senior lawyer who reportedly refunded the money to the NBA’s domiciliary account.

2009 precedent cited.

The ignored precedent

The senior lawyer referenced a similar episode in 2009 during the presidency of late former Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who as then NBA president.

According to Mr Abdul-Rasheed, following an official visit to then Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, a monetary gift was presented to the NBA delegation.

He said although the funds were disclosed and largely remitted to the NBA treasury, the matter was referred to a panel of past presidents for review.

He noted that the panel concluded that all such gifts received in the course of official assignments should be fully remitted to the association, establishing a binding ethical standard within the NBA.

Alleged partiality in NBA elections and broader ethical issue

Mr Abdul-Rasheed also criticised Mr Osigwe for declaring that he would not remain neutral in the upcoming 2026 elections, saying such partisanship threatens the credibility of the Association’s leadership.

He said Mr Osigwe’s alleged partiality in the upcoming elections scheduled for later in the year, adds to broader ethical issues of Osigwe.

“When the totality of these issues is considered together, a disturbing pattern emerges: A president who openly declares that he cannot be neutral in an election he is expected to oversee in trust; a president who publicly disparages the integrity of the very profession he leads; a president under whose watch undisclosed financial benefits have been received from external sources; and a President who has failed to provide transparent, proactive disclosure on matters touching on the finances and integrity of the association,” Mr Abdul-Rasheed wrote. “This is not merely a series of isolated missteps. It is a consistent pattern inconsistent with the ethical expectations of the office.”

Call for intervention

Mr Abdul-Rasheed urged all individuals who received payments at the Maiduguri NEC meeting to refund the monies to the NBA treasury and called for full public disclosure of all sums received or disbursed in connection with official NBA activities.

He also appealed to the NBA’s Board of Trustees, the Body of Benchers, the Body of Past Presidents, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, in his capacity as Chairman of the General Council of the Bar, to intervene.

He warned that failure to address the allegations could undermine the NBA’s moral authority to speak on governance, corruption, and the rule of law.

NBA president Osigwe rejects allegations

PREMIUM TIMES reached Mr Osigwe on Sunday by phone. He rejected claims that he received payments during the Maiduguri NEC meeting or mishandled funds from the Rivers State Government.

Speaking about the Maiduguri payments, Mr Osigwe said he or his office was not involved in the Borno State Government’s payments.

“There is nothing like an attendance fee,” he said.

He explained that the hospitality—accommodation, meals, and transport—was arranged by the local NBA branch and the state government.

According to him, the NBA had no direct dealings with the government beyond the ceremonial opening and a cocktail reception.

On the Rivers State N300 million, Mr Osigwe said the money was fully accounted for in the NBA’s audited accounts.

“The money given to us by Rivers State Government and other persons are captured in that account. After the 2025 conference, we had a surplus of over a billion Naira. That money was paid into the NBA account. It was not tampered with. It remains the property of NBA,” he explained.

He said accounts are only rendered after events conclude, rejecting claims that the funds were not disclosed.

“If people give you money, you only render accounts at the end of the event. Somebody is simply being mischievous because he supports a candidate and wants to cast doubt on people’s integrity,” he said.

Mr Osigwe also denied benefiting personally from any government funds or gifts.

“As president, I have funded all my travels locally and internationally. I have never taken any money for any of my trips. As much as Christmas hampers, I don’t take. I return them. At every point, I have acted above board,” he noted.

He described the allegations raised by Mr Abdul-Kareem as politically motivated and aimed at undermining his credibility and that of the NBA leadership.