Newly elected President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has extended an olive branch to members of the legal body, promising to lead an inclusive administration focused on improving the welfare and professional fortunes of lawyers across the country.
Badejo-Okusanya made the pledge on Sunday in her first statement after emerging the 33rd president of the NBA, following an election that was disrupted by technical glitches and a cyberattack before the results were eventually announced.
The Chairman of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Aham Ejelam, SAN, declared Badejo-Okusanya winner after she polled 12,317 votes, representing 47.18 per cent of the ballots cast, ahead of Lateef Akangbe, SAN, who secured 7,934 votes, and Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, who garnered 5,855 votes.
A total of 26,106 lawyers participated in the election.
Her victory makes her the second woman to lead the NBA, nearly 35 years after Priscilla Kuye became the association's first female president.
In a statement titled "A BBOLD Message of Gratitude," Badejo-Okusanya thanked members of the association for entrusting her with its leadership.
"Today, I am filled with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. Thank you to the members of the Nigerian Bar Association for the confidence you have reposed in me by electing me as your President. I am deeply humbled by your trust," she said.
The senior advocate described her election as a victory for all members who shared her vision of reforming the association.
"This victory belongs to all of us who believe in A BOLDER BAR THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. Thank you to every member who supported this vision, to my fellow contestants for enriching our democratic process, and to every colleague who participated in this election," she stated.
She also acknowledged the contributions of members of her campaign team, supporters, mentors and family, saying their commitment made the journey possible.
Signalling the end of the electioneering season, Badejo-Okusanya pledged to focus on delivering the promises contained in her campaign.
"The campaign is over. The work begins now.
"I pledge to serve every member of the Nigerian Bar Association with integrity, humility, courage, and accountability. Together, we will build an NBA where lawyers can earn better, live better, and practise better," she said.
Although the president-elect was absent when the results were announced, a member of her campaign organisation, Aminu Gadanya, SAN, attributed her absence to a flight delay, adding that she remained committed to extending "a handshake of friendship" to her opponents in the interest of unity within the Bar.
Meanwhile, tributes have continued to pour in following her emergence.
One of the first congratulatory messages came from Professor of Law and Vice-Chancellor of Protestant University of Rwanda, Olu Ojedokun, who praised the conduct of Badejo-Okusanya's campaign.
He said she "ran a textbook operation from the start (ab initio), never focusing on personalities, staying focused and doing her homework."
According to him, her victory demonstrated that "if you do not denigrate your opponents but lift yourself up, you can win."
Ojedokun, however, noted that the incoming NBA president would have to confront the shortcomings exposed by the election process.
"She now faces an enormous challenge of how to address the flaws in our electoral machinery," he said.
Speaking after the announcement of the results, the outgoing NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, disclosed that the association's election came under sustained cyberattack aimed at frustrating the process.
"Our colleagues planned to truncate the election, but we stood firm. Every effort to derail this process failed," Osigwe said.
He urged the newly elected officers to be magnanimous in victory while encouraging unsuccessful candidates to rally behind the new leadership.
"To those who won, be magnanimous in victory; for those who lost, there is always another day. The cyberattack shows that we must do more in data protection," he said.
Osigwe added that the Electoral Committee would carry out a comprehensive review of the exercise to identify lessons from the election and strengthen the association's electoral system and cybersecurity ahead of future polls.
Other officials elected include Oghenero Okoro as First Vice-President, Afam Okeke as General Secretary, Aghogho Gladys as Assistant General Secretary and Chinelo Audrey Ofoegbunam as Welfare Secretary.
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