A High Court sitting in Oyo State, Ibadan has restrained members of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) from carrying out any functions related to the association’s 2026 national officers’ election.

The court also barred the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, from taking steps toward constituting the electoral committee or interfering in the conduct of the election pending further proceedings.

The order was issued in an ex parte ruling delivered on March 4 by the presiding judge, Justice G. A. Opayinka, who granted an application filed by four lawyers challenging the legitimacy of the electoral process.

The applicants in the suit are Ibrahim Lawal, Raymond Oki, Omotan Olusola Ogunmodede and Gabriel Ojo Adekunle Ijalana.

According to the enrolled order, the court restrained the fifth to ninth defendants from “parading or holding themselves out as the chairman, secretary or members of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA), or from performing, undertaking or participating in any act, step or process whatsoever in furtherance of the conduct of the 2026 National Officers’ Election of the Nigerian Bar Association.”

The court further directed that the NBA president must refrain from taking any action toward the constitution or composition of the electoral committee.

The ruling stated that the second defendant is restrained “from taking any steps whatsoever towards the constitution and composition of the Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, or from participating in, supervising, influencing or otherwise interfering in any manner whatsoever with the conduct of the said 2026 NBA National Officers’ Election.”

The orders will remain in force pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

Justice Opayinka subsequently adjourned the matter to March 12 for the hearing of the motion.

The suit, marked I/221/2026, lists the incorporated trustees of the NBA, Osigwe, the Body of Benchers and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants. Also joined in the suit are the chairman of the ECNBA, Ahamefule J. Elam, and several members of the electoral committee.

In a related development, the Oyo State High Court had earlier issued an interim order on February 24 restraining the NBA from recognising or processing the nomination of any presidential candidate for the 2026 election other than the consensus candidate of Egbe Amofin O’odua.

The order, issued in suit I/205/2026 and filed by the incorporated trustees of Egbe Amofin O’odua, effectively halted the presidential nomination process pending the hearing of an interlocutory application.

With the latest ruling restraining members of the electoral committee and the NBA president from taking steps relating to the election, the conduct and timeline of the association’s 2026 national officers’ poll now face uncertainty.