The Nigerian Bar Association national election conducted on Thursday, July 30, saw Olumide Akpata, former Chairman of NBA, Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), emerged as the winner after defeating two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), Dr. Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) and Dele Adesina (SAN) to become the first non-SAN president in years. The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA, Tawo Tawo (SAN), who made the announcement on Friday, about 12:52 am said, Akpata scored the highest number of votes cast and satisfied the provisions of the NBA constitution.
“I, Tawo Tawo, the Chairman, Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), as the electoral officer for the 2020 National Officers’ Election, hereby declare Akpata Olumide Anthony, having scored the highest number of votes cast and satisfied the provisions of the constitution of the NBA 2015 (as amended), the winner of the election into the office of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association,” Tawo said.
The election began at 11 pm on Wednesday and ended by 11 pm on Thursday and was conducted via electronic voting.
The winner Mr. Akpata finished the polls with a total of 9,891 votes out of the total 18,256 ballots cast.
Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) polled 4,328 votes, while Dele Adesina (SAN) garnered 3,982 votes.
A total of 29,636 lawyers were expected to vote nationwide in the electronic poll.
Additional winners who emerged in the elections are, John O Aikpokpo-Martins as the first Vice President with 6,010 votes, and Adeyemo Kazeem Debo as second Vice President with 8,794.
Others are Joyce Oduah as General Secretary; Nwadialo Esther Uchenna, Assistant Secretary; Mercy Ijato Agada, Treasurer; and Edun Olukunle, Welfare Secretary.
The newly elected officers of the association are expected to be sworn in at the forthcoming 60th annual general conference of the NBA holding virtually from the 26th to the 29th of August.
Reacting to his victory at the polls, Mr. Akpata appreciated God and his supporters and promised that by the grace of God, transformational leadership would be witnessed during his administration.
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