Fresh controversy has erupted within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Gwagwalada Branch as the credibility of the forthcoming branch elections faces serious scrutiny following explosive allegations from a member of the Electoral Committee, Mrs. Adeoti Jumoke.
In a strongly-worded complaint dated May 27, 2026 and addressed to the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Jumoke accused members of the committee of unconstitutional exclusion, secret deliberations, voter register manipulation and attempts to compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
The development has reportedly thrown the branch into tension, with fears mounting that the elections may be heading toward a full-blown legitimacy crisis.
According to the petition, Jumoke alleged that she was deliberately sidelined from critical committee decisions through the creation of a parallel WhatsApp platform allegedly operated by other committee members without her inclusion.
She questioned the legality of what she described as an unlawful “four-man committee” operating outside the officially constituted five-member electoral panel.
“Is it constitutional to open another Electoral Committee Platform excluding me from it and important deliberations?” she queried.
Jumoke alleged that major decisions, including the controversial disqualification of a candidate identified as Mr. Abdulsalam, were concluded on the secret platform and merely communicated to her afterward as finalized resolutions.
The embattled committee member further dismissed allegations that she leaked committee information, describing such accusations as “baseless,” “hypocritical,” and a calculated attempt to silence her opposition to irregularities within the process.
She instead accused some members of the committee of engaging in selective outrage while allegedly ignoring internal communications suggesting bias against certain aspirants.
Particularly troubling are claims that the voters register may have been deliberately manipulated to favour certain interests.
Jumoke reportedly confirmed concerns earlier raised in a separate complaint filed on May 23, 2026 by a branch member, Mr. Godday Owobu, alleging discrepancies in the voters list.
According to her, an independent review of attendance records exposed attempts to unlawfully alter the register of eligible voters ahead of the elections.
She further alleged that the committee was attempting to rely on attendance from May 2025 meetings to determine voter eligibility while excluding attendance records from May 2026, a move she argued violates Section 15(1) of the NBA Uniform Bye-Laws 2025, which provides for meeting attendance within the twelve months preceding the election.
The allegations have now sparked growing concerns among members of the branch over transparency, fairness and compliance with constitutional provisions governing NBA branch elections.
As tension deepens, observers say the unfolding crisis could significantly affect confidence in the electoral process unless urgent steps are taken to address the allegations and restore credibility to the committee’s operations.
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