PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has brokered a consensus among stakeholders in the NBA Port Harcourt Branch, paving the way for the resolution of the electoral dispute that had threatened the conduct of the branch elections.
The breakthrough was achieved at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the NBA President in Port Harcourt.
The meeting brought together members of the Port Harcourt Branch Caretaker Committee, Chairmen of all NBA branches in Rivers State, past Chairmen of the Port Harcourt Branch, and aspirants participating in the forthcoming branch elections.
The engagement provided an opportunity for stakeholders to exhaustively consider the issues that had arisen in the build-up to the elections and collectively agree on measures aimed at preserving the integrity, transparency, and credibility of the electoral process.
Following extensive deliberations, the stakeholders unanimously resolved that Mr. Idris Abayomi Shehu would step aside as Chairman of the Electoral Committee while continuing to serve as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee.
To further strengthen confidence in the electoral process, former NBA Third Vice President, Omubo Frank Briggs, was appointed Chairman of the Electoral Committee.
It was further agreed that the remaining members of the Caretaker Committee would continue to serve on the Electoral Committee, alongside the NBA First Vice President and one additional member to reinforce the committee’s composition.
In a further demonstration of the commitment to transparency and accountability, the Chairmen of the other eight NBA branches in Rivers State will participate in supervising the conduct of the election.
Consequently, stakeholders unanimously agreed to reschedule the NBA Port Harcourt Branch election to Wednesday, 5 August 2026, to allow for the implementation of the agreed resolutions.
The intervention by the NBA President reflects the Association’s commitment to strengthening internal democracy, promoting unity among members, and ensuring that branch elections are conducted in accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency, and the rule of law.
Stakeholders expressed confidence that the resolutions reached would foster a peaceful, credible, and widely accepted electoral process, while reinforcing confidence in the leadership and democratic institutions of the Port Harcourt Branch.
