Anambra NBA Domination: Imo Lawyer drags NBA, ECNBA to Court, Seeks enforcement of zoning provision in NBA Constitution in 2026 Elections
In what legal analysts are already describing as a landmark case that could reshape the political landscape of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), an Imo State-based lawyer, Barrister Victor Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, has filed a lawsuit against the Registered Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Elections Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) at the High Court of Imo State, Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Judicial Division, sitting in Owerri.
The suit, filed via an Originating Summons, is seeking judicial interpretation and enforcement of the NBA Constitution, 2021 (as amended), particularly regarding the rotational zoning of key national offices within the association.
At the heart of the dispute is the allegation that the NBA and its Elections Committee have failed to adhere to the constitutional provisions on micro-zoning, which mandate equitable rotation of offices such as the President, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Vice Presidents, and the General Secretary among all the states within each recognized geographical zone — Eastern, Western, and Northern Nigeria.
Barrister Okonkwo, who deposed a detailed affidavit in support of the suit, claims that certain states have continued to dominate these key positions, particularly Anambra State in the Eastern Zone, which, according to court documents, has already produced five NBA Presidents, including the current President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.
The Plaintiff is urging the court to determine whether the NBA and ECNBA possess the discretion to ignore clear constitutional provisions on micro-zoning and whether candidates from states that have already produced certain national officers are still eligible to vie for those same positions without other states within the same zone having had their turn.
Among the major reliefs, Barrister Okonkwo seeks:
- A declaration that elections to national offices must strictly comply with the NBA Constitution.
- A declaration disqualifying aspirants from states that have already produced officers for specific positions within the same zone, until all states within that zone have been accorded their turn.
- A perpetual injunction restraining the NBA and ECNBA from clearing such candidates in violation of the zoning arrangement.
- An order compelling strict adherence to micro-zoning in all future NBA elections.
The suit highlights perceived inequalities, particularly within the Eastern Zone, where states such as Imo, Bayelsa, and Cross River are yet to produce a General Secretary or NBA President. The Plaintiff contends that the continued dominance by Anambra State undermines the principle of inclusivity and fairness.
Additionally, the Western Zone is not spared from scrutiny, with Edo State allegedly monopolizing recent NBA presidential positions through Mr. Augustine Aleghe, SAN and Mr. Olumide Akpata, both from Edo.
The case takes on heightened significance with reports that prominent Anambra lawyers — Mr. Okey Ohagba, Esq., Dr. Rapuluchukwu Nduka, Esq., Mr Chidi Ezenwafor and Mr. Afam Okeke, Esq. — are gearing up to contest for the General Secretary position in the 2026 NBA elections. The Plaintiff argues that such candidacies, if allowed, would deepen the existing imbalance and erode trust within the Association.
The NBA 2021 Constitution (as amended) is explicit on micro-zoning, stating that positions zoned to a geographical zone “shall be rotated and held in turn by the different groups and/or sections in the geographical zone.” The Plaintiff’s legal team, led by Emeka Nwagwu, SAN, contends that failure to adhere to these provisions amounts to a constitutional breach, with far-reaching implications for the unity and credibility of the NBA.
The Defendants, NBA and ECNBA, have been served and are required to enter an appearance within 30 days. Legal observers expect the case to generate significant debate within the Bar and beyond, as its outcome could affect not only the 2026 NBA elections but also future power-sharing dynamics within Nigeria’s most prestigious legal body.
