Dear Honourable Attorney General of the Federation,
I consider it both necessary and consistent with my duty as a member of the legal profession to respectfully draw your attention to certain constitutional and institutional concerns arising from your recent directive regarding the Nigerian Bar Association’s forthcoming 2026 national elections.
Permit me to begin by observing that, beyond the distinguished office you presently occupy as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, you remain a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, a professional body whose independence has, over the years, become one of the defining pillars of legal practice and constitutional democracy in Nigeria.
That shared membership, I believe, imposes a collective responsibility to preserve, rather than diminish, the autonomy of the Association.
Your recent directive has understandably generated considerable concern among members of the Bar. The concern is not merely about the outcome of an election; it is about a principle that has long guided our profession, that the Nigerian Bar Association is an independent professional body governed by its Constitution and democratic processes, free from external control or executive supervision.
With profound respect, I am unaware of any provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, any Act of the National Assembly, or the Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association that confers supervisory authority upon the Office of the Attorney General over the Association’s internal electoral affairs.
It is this constitutional question, rather than any personal disagreement, that lies at the heart of the present discourse.
Many members of the Bar therefore perceive the directive as capable of creating the unfortunate impression of executive involvement in the internal affairs of an autonomous professional institution.
Even where such involvement is well-intentioned, constitutional governance demands not only propriety of purpose but also propriety of process.
This concern is further heightened by previous national conversations surrounding executive intervention in democratic institutions. It is precisely because of those experiences that lawyers have remained vigilant whenever constitutional boundaries appear capable of becoming blurred.
Such vigilance should not be mistaken for hostility; rather, it reflects the profession’s enduring commitment to safeguarding institutional independence and the rule of law.
It is equally instructive that previous attempts to interfere with or judicially interrupt the Association’s democratic processes have not found lasting acceptance.
The resilience of the NBA’s constitutional framework has consistently reaffirmed that its internal affairs are best regulated by its own Constitution and the collective will of its members.
I therefore respectfully urge that this matter be reconsidered in the broader interest of constitutionalism, institutional comity, and public confidence in democratic governance.
The Attorney General’s office occupies a unique position as the foremost guardian of legality within the Executive. Every action emanating from that office inevitably becomes a reference point for constitutional fidelity.
The Nigerian Bar Association has endured many moments of institutional challenge throughout its history. It has done so because generations of lawyers have remained steadfast in defending its independence regardless of the personalities involved.
That tradition deserves continued respect from every arm of government, particularly from those entrusted with defending the Constitution.
This letter is therefore not intended as a personal criticism of your office or your person. Rather, it is a respectful appeal that constitutional boundaries be carefully observed and that the longstanding independence of the Nigerian Bar Association remain inviolate.
Our collective commitment to justice, democratic governance, and the rule of law is strengthened, not weakened, when every institution faithfully operates within the limits prescribed by law.
History invariably remembers those who strengthen institutions more favourably than those whose actions, however well-intended, are perceived as diminishing them. It is in that spirit that I respectfully urge a reconsideration of the present course.
River State unconstitutional power rotation is still fresh in our heart.
I remain confident that wisdom, constitutionalism, and the rule of law will ultimately prevail.
Yours faithfully,
Ameh Ojogbane Joseph, Esq.
Vice Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Suleja Branch
