Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, has emerged as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) after defeating two other senior lawyers in the association’s fiercely contested 2026 national officers’ election,

The election, which was concluded despite internal disagreements and a cyberattack that initially disrupted the process, saw Badejo-Okusanya poll 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the total votes cast, to secure victory.

The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, SAN, announced the results yesterday at the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja.

According to the ECNBA Chairman, Badejo-Okusanya defeated her closest challenger, Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who garnered 7,934 votes or 30.39 per cent, while the third presidential candidate, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, polled 5,855 votes, representing 22.43 per cent.

Ejelam disclosed that a total of 26,106 valid votes were recorded in the presidential election.

With the victory, Badejo-Okusanya will succeed the outgoing NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, and will lead the country’s largest professional association of lawyers for a two-year tenure spanning 2026 to 2028.

The ECNBA also announced the winners of other national offices.

BUT a presidential candidate in the election, Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), has renewed his attack on the conduct of the poll, alleging that the exercise was riddled with irregularities that prevented him from effectively participating and undermined the credibility of the election.

In a statement released after the conclusion of the election, Akinboro alleged that his name was altered on the presidential ballot from “Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro SAN” to “Aare Oluwatoyin Muyiwa Akinboro SAN.”