By: Tunji Okunlola
The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has apologised to candidates, eligible voters, agents, consultants, and observers for a delay in the start of voting for the 2026 NBA National Elections, attributing the disruption to a coordinated cyberattack.
Voting had originally been scheduled to begin at 12:00 a.m. WAT on Saturday.
In a statement dated July 18, 2026, and signed by Aham Ejelam, SAN, Chairman of ECNBA 2026, and Ibrahim Aliyu Nassarawa, Secretary, the committee said its e-voting platform came under a deliberate, coordinated, and sustained cyberattack by external actors.
It described the incident as a calculated bid to disrupt, sabotage, and undermine the integrity of the 2026 NBA National Electoral process.
The ECNBA said its IT cybersecurity team, working alongside the Election Voting Service Provider (EVSP), has activated all available security protocols and countermeasures to repel the attack, neutralise the threat, and restore the platform’s integrity and availability.
According to the committee, voting had not yet commenced at the time of the statement, and no votes were being accepted.
It assured members that the voting portal would reopen as soon as the system was secured and restored, and urged eligible voters to await further official communication before attempting to access the platform.
The ECNBA also reiterated that the only official voting portal is www.ecnbaovs.org.ng, warning members to disregard any alternative links or platforms, which it said could form part of the ongoing malicious campaign.
The committee further confirmed that all candidates, agents, and observers remained present at the designated monitoring centre, and that the electoral process continued under its full supervision.
While thanking stakeholders for their patience and understanding, the ECNBA reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, fair, transparent, and credible election, despite what it called criminal interference.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association had, at an emergency meeting on July 16, 2026, resolved that the 2026 NBA National Officers and General Council of the Bar (GCB) elections should proceed as scheduled on Saturday, July 18, 2026.
The NEC said the decision followed extensive deliberations, and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the electoral process proceeds in line with the approved timetable, while urging eligible members to participate peacefully and uphold the association’s democratic ideals.
#NBA #ECNBA2026 #Aham Ejelam #Ibrahim Aliyu Nassarawa