Buhari Reacts As Akpata Emerges NBA President

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated Olumide Akpata on his election as the President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Naija News reports that Akpata, who was the only candidate who was not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) at the election, defeated Babatunde Ajibade and Dele Adesina, both Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

Akpata won the 2020 elections with 9,891 votes to defeat Babatunde Ajibade who polled 4,328 votes and Julius Adesina who scored 3,982 votes.

The chairman electoral committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), Tawo Eja Taw, declared him the winner of the exercise.

“I Tawo Eja Taw, the chairman electoral committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), as the electoral officer for the 2020 national officers election hereby declare that Akpata Olumide Anthony, having scored the highest number of votes cast and satisfying the provisions of the constitution of the NBA 2015 as amended, as the winner of the election into the office of president of the NBA,” Taw declared.

In a statement by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, President Buhari wished Akpata success in the new position of leading Nigerian lawyers to chart a path of professional development and fulfilment.

He noted that Akpata, a lawyer of over two decades, has held several strategic positions in the legal association.

Buhari assured the new NBA leadership of continued cooperation of his administration “in addressing the broad range of challenges and opportunities facing the legal profession and the country.”