In 2020, there were 29,636 registered voters but only 18,256 persons cast their ballots.
This year, about 59, 588 paid their Bar Practicing Fee on or before March 31st 2022 and legitimately eligible to vote.
The winner of July 16 Election, will be who is able to get “first timers”, who have no interest in Bar politics to vote.
We can reliably say that most the people on the Voters merely paid to collect Stamp and Seal(Olumide Akpata’s administration gave free Stamp & Seal to lawyers who paid within time.) and many not stress themselves to vote.
Going by low voters turn out during local branches election in this month of June, it is crystal clear to the blind that lawyers are not deeply interested in NBA’s politics and NBA leadership is not determined by majority of members but by the few that turns out to vote.
Olumide Akpata netted in 9,891 to distance Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) and Dele Adesina (SAN) who scored 4,328 votes and 3,982 votes respectively.
The votes are in Lagos with 10,437, Abuja(both factions of Unity Bar) is 9,284( but the creation of Nnanya and Garki Branches on 9th July, have reduced this vote); Ikeja 4,845, Port Harcourt 3,301 others are hovering around 1,888something.
Geographically or going by NBA zoning, North has 17,311 votes, South East 15,720 votes and South West 26,557 votes. Our data analysts have broken these figures into what is available in each of the 125 branches of NBA.
The real work is not in organizing hangouts, barbecue and sending goodwill messages but know which cluster of small branches you can net in 80% of votes. Heavy reliance on the big branches, will backfire as Lagos, Ikeja and Port Harcourt has no member vying for the office of President. Their votes will be royal rumble and will be balkanized among the 3 presidential candidates.
We wish all contestants hard work and console those that will lose.
