A retired judge of the Federal High Court and former Second Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Justice Taiwo Taiwo, has backed the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify lawyers eligible to vote in NBA elections, saying the measure would strengthen transparency and restore confidence in the association’s electoral process.
In a statement titled “Let the Truth Be Told! My Take on the Election Crisis That Is Ongoing in the NBA”, Taiwo said he had anticipated the current controversy surrounding the NBA elections and had warned about the need for electoral reforms during his valedictory court session in 2022.
The retired jurist, who left the Federal High Court on 31 July 2022, expressed concern over the dispute arising from the association’s electoral process, describing the situation as troubling but not unexpected.
According to him, concerns over the credibility of NBA elections have persisted for years, with several dissatisfied members challenging election outcomes in court.
Taiwo said the association should evolve into a more transparent and democratic institution, arguing that the emergence of an NBA president should not appear predetermined before the incumbent completes his or her tenure.
He recalled that while serving on the Bench, he was informed of the identity of a future NBA president before the tenure of the then President, Olumide Akpata, had ended, a development he said raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The former NBA Second Vice-President proposed that lawyers should cast their votes electronically from their respective NBA branches on election day, saying such an arrangement would combine the benefits of electronic voting with greater transparency and accountability.
He also endorsed the use of the National Identification Number to verify lawyers eligible to participate in the election, describing it as a step towards ensuring a credible electoral process.
Taiwo added that the NBA, as the umbrella body for legal practitioners in Nigeria, should be capable of conducting transparent elections without the need for external election observers.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs Boma Alabi, criticised the practice of adopting candidates through regional forums in NBA presidential elections, describing it as outdated and inconsistent with democratic principles.
Alabi argued that regional endorsements had become more divisive than beneficial, saying lawyers should be free to choose their preferred candidates without influence from regional blocs.
She also called for a transparent process in the selection of the information technology company responsible for conducting the electronic election, stressing that openness in the procurement process would enhance confidence in the credibility of the exercise.
According to her, the selected company must possess proven expertise in secure electronic voting and be free from any conflict of interest.
Alabi further advised candidates with concerns about the conduct of the election to make use of available technological tools to independently monitor the process.
She reaffirmed her support for universal suffrage in NBA elections, arguing that every eligible lawyer should have the right to vote directly rather than through a delegates’ system, which she said concentrates decision-making power in the hands of a few.
