NBA elections 2026: Are we letting tribes run the Bar now?

So Chidi Odinkalu don drop this piece about how the NBA is facing its own moment of truth. The man is saying that conventions we used to balance diversity in NBA leadership are now being hijacked by ethno-tribal caucuses. Imagine that. The same body that is supposed to uphold the rule of law is now fighting over who gets to be president based on where you come from.

For context, NBA holds elections every even year. This year the big issue is how these external caucuses are trying to dictate who leads. Odinkalu referenced the 1991 drama when Clement Akpamgbo SAN had to leave mid-tenure to become HAGF under Babangida, and Priscilla Kuye became the first female NBA president. Now we are here in 2026 and the same association cannot even agree on what independence means without bringing tribe into it.

Truth is, if the NBA cannot keep its house in order, how do we expect them to fight for justice for the common man? The CJN should not be the one making rules for an independent Bar. This thing affects every Nigerian who needs a lawyer to get justice. E pain me.