Prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, has launched a scathing critique of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) following its 2026 presidential election, describing the exercise as a “sham” and a “predetermined coronation.”
In a blistering statement released on Sunday, Okutepa declared that he has lost all faith in the association, alleging that the electoral process was teleguided by “cabals” to produce a specific outcome.
The election, which saw Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, emerge as the President-elect, has been trailed by allegations of technical glitches, voting difficulties, and a lack of transparency.
Integrity has Departed’
Okutepa, known for his vocal stance on national issues, accused the NBA leadership of abandoning the core values of the legal profession.
“I have lost faith in the Nigerian Bar Association as a professional association of lawyers,” Okutepa said. “Credibility, objectivity, honesty, and integrity have all departed from the affairs and the politics of the NBA. The association is now populated with lawyers who do not see anything wrong with glaring wrongs—wrongs that even the blind can see.”
### Allegations of Hypocrisy
The Senior Advocate reserved his harshest words for prominent lawyers who frequently criticize government institutions and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for lack of due process, but remained silent during the NBA’s own internal controversies.
“The most annoying thing is the hypocrisy of vocal practitioners who complain daily about government decisions and INEC glitches, but see nothing wrong with this coronation,” Okutepa remarked. “These lawyers are now excusing the glitches in the NBA portal that clearly showed incompetence or a predetermined system to favor their preferred candidate.”
He further questioned the independence of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), alleging that the body was “teleguided” and lacked the autonomy required for a credible poll.
Claims of Disenfranchisement
According to the Senior Advocate, the number of lawyers unable to cast their votes due to technical failures exceeded the number of votes eventually counted. He claimed that agreed-upon procedures were jettisoned at the eleventh hour to favor the “kingmakers’” choice at the NBA House.
“Every stage of the process leading to this sham coronation was stage-managed. Shame on those who see nothing wrong with the wrongs that were done,” he stated.
A Divided Bar
Okutepa’s remarks echo concerns raised by other senior lawyers, including A.K. Musa, who earlier reported widespread verification failures, delayed One-Time Passwords (OTPs), and malfunctioning voting portals.
Despite the mounting criticism, the President-elect, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has moved forward with her victory. In her acceptance speech, she pledged to lead “with integrity, courage, and accountability,” promising to build “a bolder Bar that works for everyone.”
However, Okutepa warned that the legitimacy of the incoming leadership would be dogged by the flawed process of its emergence. “The legal profession is going to be the worse for this,” he concluded.
