By Bimbo Adenrele
The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has cleared the way for the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national elections after setting aside orders of the Oyo State High Court that had stalled preparations for the exercise.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, the appellate court upheld the appeal filed by the NBA and the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), declaring that the proceedings before the Oyo State High Court, including the ex parte orders issued against the association and its electoral committee, were a nullity.
The court held that the Oyo State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suits, citing deficiencies in subject matter, personal and territorial jurisdiction.
The ruling effectively removes the legal hurdles that had threatened the conduct of the NBA’s 2026 national officers’ election, paving the way for the ECNBA to proceed with the exercise in line with the association’s constitution and electoral timetable.
The legal dispute stemmed from a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Egbe Amofin O’odua, which sought to compel the NBA to recognise only the group’s consensus candidate for the office of NBA President.
In Suit No I/205/2026, Justice Y.S. Adekunle of the Oyo State High Court had granted an interim injunction restraining the NBA from accepting or processing the nomination of any presidential aspirant other than the candidate endorsed by Egbe Amofin O’odua.
The order, issued on February 24, 2026, was to remain in force pending the hearing of a motion on notice.
Egbe Amofin O’odua had argued that since the 2026 NBA presidency was zoned to the Western Zone, its consensus candidate should automatically emerge as the association’s flag bearer.
