By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – Human rights lawyer and former chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has urged members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to reject what he described as attempts by ethnic or sectional interests to determine the outcome of the association’s 2026 presidential election.
In remarks issued on the eve of the NBA national election, Odinkalu stressed that every eligible lawyer has an equal vote and should exercise that right independently in choosing the next leadership of the association.
According to him, the 82,213 lawyers eligible to participate in the election each possess one vote, insisting that the eventual winner must emerge through the collective decision of the voting members rather than the dictates of any informal ethnic caucus.
“The idea that an ethno-tribal association, which is not part of the institutional or constitutional organs, should dictate to the membership of the Nigerian Bar Association who should lead them is transparently stupid,” he said, lamenting what he described as growing sectional influence in the association’s affairs.
Odinkalu noted that three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are contesting for the NBA presidency but alleged that one of the candidates was seeking to be “coronated as a sectional paramount chief” of the association.
Without mentioning the candidate by name, he labelled him a “Candidate of Particular Concern (CPC),” accusing him of plans to abolish the NBA’s “One Lawyer, One Vote” electoral system if elected.
The senior lawyer, however, said the remaining two candidates on the ballot were “excellent options,” revealing that he had already chosen to support one of them.
He appealed to lawyers to defend the principles of equality, dignity and democratic participation within the NBA by rejecting any candidate he believes threatens those ideals.
“If you want a Bar in which each of us will continue to matter in equality and dignity, please avoid the CPC,” Odinkalu urged.
Precise Post recalls that the NBA election, scheduled for Saturday, will produce a new president and other national officers to lead the association for the next term.
