A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, has emerged the 36th President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). 

Maikyau emerged during NBA elections held from 12.00.a.m. on Saturday to 11.59 p.m. of same day.

He polled a total of 22,342 votes to defeat two other contenders, Messrs Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), Chairman of the NBA Securities Agencies Relations Committee; anf Jonathan Taidi, a former General Secretary of the NBA.

According to the Chairman of the NBA Electoral Committee, Mr Ayodele Akintunde (SAN), who announced the results at a hybrid press briefing on Sunday, the total number of people on final voter register stood at 59,392 while about 3,000 were disenfranchised due to inability to verify their data.

“A total of 59,392 records were received as people on final voter register, and we were able to upload 59,388 records with four records being invalid contact information.

“A total of 34, 809 votes were cast representing 58.61 per cent of the total number of eligible voters, while 1,314 ballots opened but were not cast,” he said.

He said that Maikyau polled 22,342 votes representing 64.6 per cent of votes cast for the office of the president, while Gadzama polled 10,842 votes and Taidi polled 1,380.

Other winners at the elections include Mrs Linda Bala as NBA First Vice President with a total of 21,717 votes representing 66.3 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mr Clement Ugo was elected NBA Second Vice President with a total of 11,377 votes representing 38.6 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mrs Amanda Demechi-Asagba, President of the African Women Lawyers Association, emerged NBA Third Vice President with a total of 19,602 votes representing 64.6 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mr Adesina Adegbite won election for the office of NBA General Secretary with a total of 18,536 votes representing 56.2 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mr Daniel Kip emerged NBA Assistant General Secretary with a total of 10,071 votes representing 31.7 per cent votes cast for the office.

Mrs Caroline Anze-Bishop was elected NBA Treasurer with a total of 12,012 votes representing 37.4 percent of votes cast for the office.

Ms Chinyere Obasi emerged NBA Welfare Secretary with a total of 10,452 votes representing 32.4 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mr Habeeb Lawal was elected NBA Publicity Secretary with a total of 17,650 votes representing 53.5 per cent of votes cast for the office.

Mr Charles Ajiboye won election for the office of NBA Assistant Publicity Secretary with a total 17, 811 votes representing 57.1 per cent of votes cast for the office.

NAN reports that the elections were through electronic voting. 

Maikyau succeeds Mr Olumide Akpata elected in 2020.

Akpata made history as the only NBA President in the past 10 years who is not a senior advocate of Nigeria.