I-DARE

Distinguished Colleagues,

Every candidate in this election has published a manifesto.

The Nigerian legal profession has seen many manifestos.

The more useful question is not what is promised.

It is whether there is a coherent, funded, and time-bound mechanism for delivery.

The LOA programme for the NBA 2026 to 2028 is structured around five interconnected pillars, organised under the acronym I-DARE:

I — Institutional and Governance Reform. The NBA Secretariat will be restructured on the basis of five existing diagnostic reports, the Professor Chidi Odinkalu Committee, the Dr. Joe Abah Committee, the Legal Profession Regulation Review Committee, the PwC Report, and the KPMG Diagnostic, all of which reached the same conclusion: the Secretariat is not fit for purpose. None have been implemented. LOA will harmonise and implement all five within the first twelve months.

D — Digital Transformation and the Modernisation of Bar Services. NBA One: one login, one dashboard, one unified platform connecting every fragmented NBA digital asset. The e-Remuneration Platform embedded inside NBA One, making the 2023 Remuneration Order a live enforcement tool, not a statutory aspiration. Delivered in three phases over 18 months.

A — Adequate Remuneration and the Protection of Lawyers' Livelihoods. Full enforcement of the Remuneration Order through the e-Remuneration Platform. A living wage framework for lawyers in paid employment incorporated into the Rules of Professional Conduct. Protection of the exclusive legal practice space against encroachment by non-lawyers including estate agents, banks, and accountants performing legal functions without authority.

R — Rule of Law, Administration of Justice, and Independence of the Judiciary. Zero-tolerance posture on disobedience of lawful court orders. Forceful advocacy for competitive judicial remuneration and merit-based appointments free from political interference. A Lawyers' Defence Fund for members who are victims of human rights violations by security agencies.

E — Empowerment, Welfare, Inclusion and Equity. Free stamps on BPF payment. Free Law Pavilion and NWLR for lawyers of zero to ten years. Life insurance increased from N2 million to N4 million. National mentorship scheme. Six-month maternity leave advocacy. Statutory representation for lawyers with disabilities on the NEC.

This is I-DARE. Five pillars. Specific commitments. Delivery timelines. Measurable outcomes. Not a theme. A programme.

Vote LOA. 18 July 2026.

#ElevateTheBar #VoteLOA #IDARE #LOA2026 #NBAPresident2026 #NBAElection2026