Four lawyers who instituted a suit before the Oyo State High Court over the Nigerian Bar Association election dispute have filed a notice of discontinuance, citing the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
The notice of discontinuance was filed before the High Court of Justice of Oyo State, Ibadan Judicial Division, in Suit No. I/221/2026, involving Ibrahim Lawal, Esq.; Raymond Oki, Esq.; Omotan Olusola Ogunmodede, Esq.; and Chief Gabriel Ojo Adekunle Ijalana, Esq., as claimants.
The defendants in the suit are the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association; the NBA President, Mazi Afam Josiah Osigwe, SAN; the Body of Benchers; the Attorney-General of the Federation, in his capacity as Chairman of the General Council of the Bar; Aham Ejelam, SAN; Ibrahim Aliyu Nassarawa, Esq.; Muhamad M. Nuhu, Esq.; Uju Okafor, Esq.; and Ume Maduka, Esq.
In the notice dated July 7, 2026, the claimants said they were discontinuing the suit pursuant to the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation dated July 6, 2026.
According to the notice, the directive followed a meeting of past Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association held on June 11, 2026, at the conference room of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The claimants stated that the meeting was chaired and moderated by the Attorney-General and was attended by past NBA Presidents from 1998 to date, with the exception of Chief T.J.O. Okpoko, OON, SAN.
They added that counsel representing the parties at both the High Court and the Court of Appeal were also present at the meeting.
The notice stated that the meeting was aimed at resolving the controversy which led to the filing of the suit in the first place.
“Pursuant to the Directive of the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, dated 6th July, 2026, which was sequel to the meeting of the body of past Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association held on 11th June, 2026, at the conference room of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and which meeting was chaired and moderated by the HAGF… the claimants hereby wholly discontinue this suit,” the notice partly read.
The notice was signed by the claimants’ legal team, including J.S. Okutepa, SAN; Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN; Kazeem A. Gbadamosi, SAN; M. O. Adebayo, SAN; Soji Olowolafe, SAN; Seun Ajayi, SAN; R. O. Balogun, SAN; and Tunji Ogunrinde, SAN.
Other lawyers listed on the process include Ibrahim Mukhtar, Esq.; Taiwo Adedeji, Esq.; Tope Alabi, Esq.; Ejuro Urujoma, Esq.; and R. O. Solahudeen, Esq.
The filing comes amid ongoing controversy over the 2026 NBA national election and the extent of the Attorney-General’s role in attempts to resolve disputes surrounding the process.
The claimants’ decision to discontinue the case indicates that the suit before the Oyo State High Court will no longer proceed at their instance, following the intervention referenced in the notice.
