The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has insisted that its 2026 National Officers and General Council of the Bar (GCB) elections will go ahead as scheduled on Saturday, July 18, despite the arrest and subsequent release of the Managing Director of its Election Service Provider by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The decision was reached during an emergency virtual meeting of the Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) held on Thursday, where members unanimously resolved that there was no justification for postponing the elections.
According to the NBA, the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) briefed the Council on preparations for the poll and assured members that it was fully prepared to conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible election.
The committee stated that although the Managing Director of the Election Service Provider had been temporarily detained by the DSS, the incident had not affected operational or logistical arrangements for the elections.
NEC reaffirmed its commitment to constitutional governance, institutional independence and the protection of the Association’s democratic processes, stressing that no external interference or unforeseen circumstance would be allowed to derail the electoral timetable.
The Council also condemned the arrest and detention of the election service provider’s Managing Director, describing the action as troubling and potentially capable of disrupting the smooth conduct of the elections.
It demanded his immediate and unconditional release, insisting that no action should be allowed to undermine the credibility of the NBA’s electoral process.
However, the Association disclosed that shortly after the emergency meeting ended, the Managing Director was released from custody, removing any uncertainty over the conduct of the election.
The NBA therefore maintained that the July 18 elections would proceed as planned.
The Association also urged eligible lawyers across the country to remain calm, participate peacefully in the elections and continue to uphold the rule of law and the independence of the legal profession.
It further called on relevant authorities to respect the autonomy of the NBA and refrain from actions capable of interfering with its democratic processes.
