A retired judge of the Federal High Court and former Second Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo (Rtd.), has thrown his weight behind the use of the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify lawyers eligible to vote in NBA elections, describing it as a necessary step towards ensuring transparency and restoring confidence in the association’s electoral process.
Justice Taiwo made his position known in a statement titled, “Let the Truth Be Told! My Take on the Election Crisis That Is Ongoing in the NBA,” in which he also asserted that he had foreseen the current controversy over the NBA’s electoral process and publicly warned about it during his valedictory court session in 2022.
The retired jurist, who officially retired from the Bench on July 31, 2022, and held his valedictory court session on September 22 of the same year, said he was “shocked but honestly not surprised” by the crisis currently rocking the NBA.
According to him, concerns about the association’s electoral process had existed for years and had prompted litigation by aggrieved members following previous elections.
“I am disturbed, to say the least, about the discordant tunes concerning the elections to offices in the NBA,” he said.
Justice Taiwo noted that while many lawyers might not be privy to the internal workings of the association’s leadership, there had long been concerns about how its elections were conducted.
“Many outside the inner circle of the ‘powers’ behind the scenes cannot know what goes on. Persons have gone to court over NBA election outcomes in the past. Those who did know why they did,” he stated.
To underscore his position, the former NBA national officer reproduced excerpts from his valedictory speech delivered in September 2022, in which he advocated far-reaching reforms to the association’s electoral system.
In the speech, he said the election of the NBA President should not reach a stage where the identity of the next president was allegedly known before the incumbent completed his tenure.
“I belong to the NBA by reason of my profession. I want the best for the association, especially for it to evolve a democratic and transparent process for the election of its officers.
“I am firmly of the view that the election of the President of the NBA ought not to reach a stage where the next President is known before a newly elected one is sworn in,” he said.
Justice Taiwo further stated that, at the time, he had been informed that a particular individual would emerge as the next NBA President before the then President, Olumide Akpata, completed his tenure. He said the information prompted him to question the credibility of the electoral process.
“I asked myself how it was possible, knowing fully well that star-gazing and clairvoyance are not courses in law,” he recalled.
The retired judge stressed that the statement reflected his personal concern at the time and should serve as evidence that he had warned of the dangers inherent in the existing electoral framework.
As part of his proposed reforms, Justice Taiwo recommended that lawyers should cast their votes electronically from their respective NBA branches on election day, a process he believes would strengthen transparency while preserving the integrity of electronic voting.
“I want to propose that, on election day, all those interested in voting should go physically to their respective branches to vote electronically, as is done by INEC. This will ensure transparency in the NBA’s electoral process,” he said.
Expressing support for current efforts aimed at improving the credibility of NBA elections, Justice Taiwo endorsed the use of the National Identification Number as a means of verifying eligible voters.
“I therefore, flowing from this extract, support any move or action aimed at ensuring transparency. This means I support the use of NIN by lawyers desirous of voting in the election,” he stated.
He also maintained that the NBA, as the umbrella body of legal practitioners in Nigeria, should be capable of conducting credible elections without the involvement of external observers.
“We do not need any outsiders to monitor the election of an association of legal practitioners,” he added.
Justice Taiwo, who served as the NBA’s Second Vice President between 2014 and 2015 under the leadership of Austin Alegeh, SAN, with the current NBA President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, then serving as General Secretary, said his commitment to the association remained unwavering.
He noted that, apart from the NBA and a church fellowship, he did not belong to any other association or social club, describing the legal profession as one that places lawyers at the forefront of the fight against injustice and unfairness.
He concluded by expressing hope that the NBA would emerge stronger through transparent and democratic electoral reforms.
“Long live the Nigerian Bar Association,” he said.
