Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, the president-elect of the Nigerian Bar Association, says she is ready to subject herself to a post-election audit following her victory.
“As for this election, I am grateful for the security it came under because right-thinking people will understand that this election could not have come under this much scrutiny and be compromised. I have said if need be I can subject myself to a post-election audit because I don’t want my win to be delegitimised in any way,” Ms Badejo-Okusanya said in an interview on Sunday.
Ms Badejo-Okusanya polled 12,317 votes (47.18 per cent) to emerge the winner of the election, which was held through electronic voting for 24 hours from 7:35 a.m. on Saturday to 7:34 a.m. on Sunday.
While Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe secured 7,934 votes (30.39 per cent) to emerge second, Olumuyiwa Akinboro polled 5,855 votes (22.43 per cent) to take the third position. Both contestants described the election as shambolic, alleging voter disenfranchisement, ballot manipulation, and other irregularities.
Ms Badejo-Okusanya, who attributed the allegations to a trust deficit in how the association conducts its elections, insisted that the process was not rigged in her favour.
She added, “It’s not very pleasant to say that an election was rigged in my favour. We have had a trust deficit in our association with regard to our elections. There is a perception that the election was rigged. So the trust deficit has to be dealt with. I think what we need to do as a Bar is come together and have a conversation about how we want to conduct elections in a way that engenders trust and confidence.”
The president-elect urged her co-contestants to work with her to build a stronger association.
“In every contest, there is a winner or a loser. But we move on. I understand the issues that have informed some of their thinking, and I think we should come together and work to build a better bar. I have plans to reach out to them for dialogue. My priority is to unite the Bar,” Ms Badejo-Okusanya explained.