By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to manipulate the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election, alleging that the move reflects the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s strategy for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate claimed that the Tinubu administration was extending what he described as its “state-sponsored toxic politics of coronation” to the NBA election.
According to Atiku, the alleged interference in the NBA poll mirrors what the administration intends to replicate during the 2027 general elections through the weakening of opposition parties and the manipulation of democratic institutions.
“We are concerned that President Bola Tinubu has brought his state-sponsored toxic politics of coronation to bear on the election of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA),” the statement said.
“It is the same strategy of imposition without allowing for free, fair and credible elections that the Tinubu-led APC administration is working assiduously towards in the 2027 General Elections.”
The former vice president alleged that the government was instigating crises within opposition parties, undermining democratic institutions and laying the groundwork to manipulate future elections.
He also claimed that the administration had sought to influence the NBA election by using the courts to compel the association to adopt its preferred candidate, describing the alleged actions as a dangerous precedent capable of undermining the independence of the legal profession.
Atiku maintained that the conduct of NBA elections remains the exclusive responsibility of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), appointed by the association’s National Executive Council in accordance with the NBA Constitution.
He alleged that attempts to disqualify some aspirants through judicial means reflected what he described as the government’s broader strategy of using the courts and electoral institutions to sideline opposition candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former vice president further accused government officials of attempting to frustrate the NBA poll despite unsuccessful efforts to postpone it, alleging that security agencies were being deployed against service providers involved in the election.
“It is disgraceful and a negation of democracy that, in spite of the failed efforts to shift the polls, officials of government are now deploying security agents to arrest service providers and frustrate the election,” the statement said.
Atiku warned public officials against interfering in the affairs of the NBA and urged them to allow the association to conduct a free, fair and credible election that would ensure a smooth leadership transition.
The NBA national election is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2026. Voting will be conducted electronically from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., with the winner expected to be announced on July 19.
The election was moved from July 20 to July 18 following a revised timetable issued by the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA).
The race for the NBA presidency is a three-way contest among Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs): Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya and Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro.
2027: Tinubu perfecting manipulative strategy through NBA election, Atiku alleges
