Abuja — The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) ICT Department has moved to quell growing concerns over the recently published Preliminary Voters Register for the 2026 National Officers Election, describing allegations of irregularities, padding, and proxy voting as “unfounded, technically inaccurate, and legally misconceived.”
In a detailed clarification issued on Tuesday, the department affirmed that the register was compiled strictly in line with the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended in 2025). It comprises the names of legal practitioners who paid their Annual Practising Fees on or before the constitutional cutoff date of March 31, 2026.
“The appearance of any eligible member’s name on the Preliminary Voters Register is neither irregular nor suspicious,” the statement read. “It is the direct and proper consequence of meeting the constitutional requirement for voting eligibility.”
Addressing claims that the list merely represents fee payers rather than accredited voters, the ICT Department dismissed the distinction as lacking constitutional basis. Voting eligibility, it emphasised, is determined solely by payment of the prescribed fees and does not require participation in any administrative verification process.
The verification and correction exercise, according to the department, was designed only to allow eligible members to review and update their contact details, such as telephone numbers and email addresses ahead of the final register. It was never intended as an opt-in mechanism for inclusion on the electoral roll.
On allegations of possible proxy voting, the NBA ICT Department stated that such claims are “technically untenable.” The electronic voting platform mandates dual authentication using a voter’s Supreme Court Number and a time-sensitive, single-use One-Time Password (OTP) delivered in real time to the voter’s registered phone or email.
“The published Preliminary Voters Register contains only the names and branches of eligible members,” the statement noted. “It does not disclose email addresses, telephone numbers, Supreme Court Numbers or any other authentication credentials,” thereby eliminating any realistic avenue for proxy voting.
The department further explained that even the presence of names of deceased members (where identified) poses no threat, as a name alone cannot generate a vote without successful real-time OTP authentication.
The NBA urged members to disregard unverified claims and rely solely on official communications. The Final Voters Register is scheduled for publication on Friday, July 10, 2026, while the National Officers Election is set to hold on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
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