Petitioner: Tosan Barbara Onwubiko
Date: 18th May, 2026
To:
The Chairman,
Board of Trustees,
Nigerian Bar Association,
Plot 1101, Mohammadu Buhari Way,
Central Business District,
Abuja, F.C.T.,
Nigeria.
1. INTRODUCTION
I, the undersigned, a financial and concerned member of the Nigerian Bar Association, hereby submit this petition due to constitutional breaches in Section 8,10,11, and 12 Part III, Second Schedule of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended 2025), by the ECNBA, to draw the attention of members of the Board of Trustees to grave irregularities in the conduct of the Electoral Committee of the NBA 2026 [ECNBA] and to seek immediate remedial action.
2. GROUNDS OF PETITION
A. Unlawful Inclusion of a Candidate Who Did Not Comply with ECNBA Notice No. 2.
1. On 11th and 12th February 2026, the ECNBA issued Notices No. 2 and 3. Notice No. 2 mandated that all aspirants for National positions in the NBA 2026 elections shall submit a Letter of Expression of Interest on or before 20th February 2026, alongside other required documents.
2. Section 12, Part III, Second Schedule of the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended 2025) provides: _“Every Aspirant shall submit an Expression of Interest for the office he intends to occupy to the ECNBA…”
3. ECNBA Notice No. 5 listed six aspirants for the office of Assistant General Secretary who complied with Notice No. 2.
4. ECNBA Notice No. 7b, dated 6th May 2026, listed seven qualified candidates for the same office, including one Magaji Tijjani, whose name did not appear on Notice No. 5.
5. The inclusion of Magaji Tijjani as a qualified candidate, despite his non-compliance with the mandatory requirement of Notice No. 2, constitutes a breach of the NBA Constitution and the ECNBA’s own guidelines.
6. The deliberate concealment of the names of nominators of the purported qualified candidates and disqualified aspirants.
B. Pattern of Procedural Irregularities and Erosion of Transparency
6. During the NBA-SPIDEL elections, Mr Ibrahim Aliyu Nassarawa, then a member of the NBA-SPIDEL Election Committee, facilitated actions that resulted in the removal of duly screened candidates and the inclusion of non-members, a disqualified aspirant, and persons who neither submitted nomination forms nor underwent screening.
7. Mr Nassarawa was subsequently appointed Secretary of the ECNBA.
8. Contrary to established practice and constitutional requirement, the ECNBA failed to publish the names of nominators, seconders, and disqualified aspirants alongside the list of qualified candidates. This omission frustrates effective scrutiny and challenges the provisions under Sections 8, 10, 11, and 12 of Part III, Second Schedule of the NBA Constitution.
C. Breach of Section 8, Part III, Second Schedule of the NBA Constitution
9. Section 8 requires the ECNBA to circulate a full list of properly nominated candidates to all Branches, Sections, Fora, and to publish same before the election.
10. The failure to disclose nominators, seconders, and disqualified aspirants renders it impossible for members of the NBA to exercise their right to challenge eligibility within 7 days of the publication of ECNBA Notice no. 7b, thereby undermining due process.
3. PRAYERS / RELIEFS SOUGHT
In light of the foregoing, I respectfully pray members of the Board of Trustees to:
1. Nullify the inclusion of Magaji Tijjani as a qualified candidate for the office of Assistant General Secretary in ECNBA Notice No. 7b, and direct his removal from the list of qualified candidates.
2. Order a full audit and verification of all qualified candidates against the requirements of ECNBA Notice No. 2 and Section 12, Part III, Second Schedule of the NBA Constitution.
3. Direct the immediate publication of the full list of nominators, seconders, and disqualified aspirants for all positions in the 2026 NBA National Elections.
4. Dissolve the current ECNBA constituted under Afam Osigwe SAN and reconstitute a new Electoral Committee in strict compliance with the NBA Constitution to restore confidence in the electoral process.
5. Commence an independent investigation into the allegations against the Secretary of the ECNBA, and take appropriate disciplinary measures if the allegations are substantiated.
4. CONCLUSION
The developments outlined above raise serious concerns about the current ECNBA’s ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election. If these breaches are allowed to stand, the integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association and the legitimacy of its leadership will be compromised.
I urge the Board of Trustees to act decisively and in accordance with the Constitution to protect the Association from further erosion of due process.
Dated this 18th day of May, 2026.
Tosan Barbara Onwubiko, Esq
Attachments:
1. ECNBA Notice No. 2
2. ECNBA Notice No. 5
3. ECNBA Notice No. 7b
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