A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Section on Business Law, Olumide Akpata, has been declared winner and the president-elect of Nigerian lawyers association.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the NBA, Tawo Tawo (SAN), made the declaration at midnight, exactly around 12:52 a.m. on Friday.
Taiwo 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.
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The 2020 NBA election was a historical one as it was done via electronic voting, consequent upon the coronavirus pandemic which ha reduced the number of people who can gather in a particular location because of the need to observe the social distance protocols.
The election which began at 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday and ended by 11:00 p.m. on Thursday.
In the results declared, Akpata polled 9,891 votes out of a total of 18,256 voters who participated in the elections, representing 54.3% of the votes.
He defeated Dr. Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) who scored 4,328 and Dele Adesina (SAN) who scored 3,982.
Other 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.
Also, Joyce Oduah emerged as General Secretary; Nwadialo Esther Uchenna, Assistant Secretary; Mercy Ijato Agada, Treasurer; and Edun Olukunle, Welfare Secretary.
Anagor Raphael Nnamdi emerged as Financial Secretary; Nduka Rapuluchukwu Ernest (PhD) as Publicity Secretary; and Naza Ferdinand Afam as Assistant Publicity Secretary.
The new 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.
Akpata, reacting to his victory, thanked his supporters and assured them that by the grace of God, transformational leadership would be witnessed in his administration.
“In two years from now, we would look back to this day with gratitude. We would say thank God that Olu became President. We would never regret this day. We would transform our association and the Bar will work for all,” Akpata said.
