NBA Appeal Committee Directs Port Harcourt Branch Caretaker Committee to Resolve Election Petitions and Clean Up Voters Register

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Branch Elections Appeal Committee (East) has delivered its unanimous consolidated decision on the pending petitions arising from the 2026 Port Harcourt Branch electoral process, providing clear directives for the Caretaker Committee now overseeing the affairs of the Branch.

In a decision dated 4 July 2026, the Committee considered three separate petitions relating to the compilation of the final voters’ register, allegations of electoral irregularities, and requests for the dissolution of the former Branch Electoral Committee (ELECO).

Regarding the petition by Ledua Zor-Akekue, Esq., which challenged the inclusion of allegedly ineligible persons on the final voters’ list, the Committee held that the complaint had originally been addressed to the former Electoral Committee and merely copied to the Appeal Committee. It therefore concluded that the matter falls within the mandate of the Caretaker Committee for determination.

On the petition filed by C. S. Enyi, Esq. concerning the omission of his name and that of Omiete Maureen Otelemate, Esq. from the list of eligible voters, the Committee observed that although evidence of payment of practicing fees and branch dues had been provided, there was no attendance register establishing compliance with the attendance requirements prescribed under the NBA Uniform Bye-Laws. Consequently, the Committee directed the Caretaker Committee to verify the petitioners’ eligibility and take appropriate action in accordance with its mandate.

The Committee also considered the petition by Daminabo Davies, Esq. and Odinaka G. Emenike, Esq., which sought the dissolution of the former Electoral Committee and alleged widespread irregularities in the final voters’ list. While it found insufficient evidence to sustain several of the allegations, the Committee confirmed that there were actual instances of duplicated names on the final voters’ register. It therefore directed the Caretaker Committee, acting as the Electoral Committee for the Branch, to ensure that qualified members are not disenfranchised, that ineligible persons are excluded from the register, and that all duplications and other identified anomalies are corrected before the conduct of the election.

The consolidated decision underscores the NBA’s commitment to ensuring that branch elections are conducted in a manner that is transparent, credible, and consistent with the provisions of the NBA Constitution and the Uniform Bye-Laws. By referring the outstanding issues to the Caretaker Committee for determination within its mandate, the Appeal Committee has reinforced the Association’s resolve to safeguard the integrity of its internal democratic processes and promote fairness in the conduct of branch elections.