Following the announcement of Afam Osigwe as the president-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), controversy has arisen over the election’s integrity. The runner-up, Tobenna Erojikwe, who received 10,998 votes compared to Osigwe’s 20,435, has expressed significant doubts about the election’s credibility and is calling for an audit.
Erojikwe, in a statement dated July 21, 2024, detailed multiple concerns he had raised with the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) before the election. He highlighted issues such as the opaque selection process for election service providers and the lack of timely information about voting guidelines and the voters’ list, which were only published hours before the polls began, contrary to NBA Constitution requirements.
Erojikwe pointed out several irregularities in the conduct of the election. He criticized the live results display, which showed the winning candidate’s votes increasing in a suspiciously consistent manner, suggesting possible pre-programming. Additionally, discrepancies were noted in the total votes tallied, with counts sometimes exceeding or falling short of the actual votes cast.
Another issue raised was the use of different platforms for voting and results display, leading to questions about the integrity of the results. Erojikwe also reported instances of double-voting and data manipulation, with supporters receiving multiple voting links. Despite the official voting period, votes continued to be cast after the scheduled end time, further raising doubts about the process.
Erojikwe has rejected the election results and called for an audit to restore confidence in the NBA’s electoral process. Similarly, Chukwuka Ikwuazom, the second runner-up with 9,018 votes, has requested access to critical election data due to observed anomalies. He cited issues such as identity theft, discrepancies in vote display and update, suspicious vote increase patterns, and inconsistent voting figures.
Ikwuazom’s letter to the ECNBA chairman demanded access to server logs, database records, and other relevant information within 48 hours to address these concerns. Both candidates argue that these irregularities undermine the credibility of the election and necessitate a thorough investigation to ensure transparency and trust in the NBA’s electoral system.
