DELE Adesina, a presidential candidate at the just concluded Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) election has called for the cancellation of results of the election that returned Olumide Akpata as the president-elect, citing over-voting and disenfranchisement of voters.
According to The PUNCH, Adesina made this demand in a petition to Paul Usoro, the Chairman, NBA Board of Trustees.
“If the election process is wrongful and unconstitutional, the outcome must suffer the same fate and be cancelled,” Adesina said.
He stated that the election process was marred by over-voting, disenfranchisement of eligible candidates and non-compliance with the provisions of the NBA constitution.
“I urge the members of the Board of Trustees of the NBA to intervene and right these wrongs and save the NBA from condemnation and destruction. I believe that leaders must do things right and/or ensure that things are done right,” he added.
Adesina faulted the adoption of the electronic process of voting in the NBA since 2016 saying that there have been consistent allegations of system manipulations and rigging.
“Since 2016 when this electronic voting system started, there have been consistent allegations of system manipulation and rigging which has resulted in litigation over NBA elections.
“As at today, a criminal action arising from the NBA Election of 2018 is still pending at the Federal High Court. This is a shame to all of us without exception,” Adesina further stated.
Olumide Akpata was declared the winner of the 2020 NBA elections on July 31 after defeating Adesina and Babatunde Ajibade in the polls.
Akpata, the only non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) among the three presidential candidates and former chairman of the NBA Section on Business Law polled 9,384 votes to defeat his closest rival Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, who received 4,105 votes.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94