Heavy security was deployed to the NBA House as candidates protested alleged breaches of the branch’s electoral bye-laws over the publication of the final voters’ register

The Nigerian Bar Association Port Harcourt Branch election scheduled for Friday was postponed indefinitely after a dispute over the voters’ register triggered protests among candidates and prompted a heavy security presence at the NBA House, the venue of the NBA Port Harcourt election.

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Armed personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services were deployed to the venue as tensions rose among candidates and supporters over concerns about the conduct of the poll.

The disagreement centred largely on the timing and publication of the final voters’ register, with some candidates alleging that the Electoral Committee failed to comply with provisions of the branch’s bye-laws.

One of the candidates for Social Secretary, Chilezie Oluolu, expressed dissatisfaction with the process, alleging that candidates and members were not given adequate notice before the final register was published.

Oluolu said the final voters’ list was released late on Thursday night, only hours before the election was scheduled to take place.

“To everyone’s surprise, yesterday night, around 10:45 p.m. to 11 p.m., they published the final voters’ list,” Oluolu said.

He argued that the branch’s bye-laws required the final voters’ register to be published at least 14 days before the election to allow members to familiarise themselves with the process and make necessary preparations.

“Meanwhile, we have never had any conversation as to the modalities for the election, and the bye-laws say that if you’re publishing a final voters’ list, you must give 14 days before the election,” he said.

According to Oluolu, the period was also intended to allow candidates to engage with members, clarify the election procedures and nominate agents for the final briefing before voting.

He said the late publication of the register, combined with the decision to proceed with the election the following morning, created concerns among candidates who felt the process had not been properly managed.

“Yet they published it and said the election must hold this morning. The publication announcing the election came out last night, as well as the final voters’ list,” Oluolu said.

“And we are saying that is not how it should be. We are not satisfied.”

As the disagreement intensified at the venue, some candidates staged a walkout in protest against the electoral process.

The development heightened tensions at the NBA House, with officials and other stakeholders attempting to calm the situation and prevent the disagreement from escalating further.

With security operatives maintaining a visible presence at the venue, the Electoral Committee eventually postponed the election indefinitely.

The decision was taken to prevent a possible breach of the peace amid the growing disagreement over the conduct of the poll.

The Electoral Committee has yet to announce a new date for the election, leaving candidates and members awaiting further clarification on the next steps.

A former Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch, Prince Nyekwere, confirmed the postponement when contacted.

“They have not given us a new date yet,” Nyekwere said.

The dispute has now placed the branch’s electoral process under renewed scrutiny, particularly over the interpretation and implementation of its bye-laws.

For the candidates who raised objections, the central concern remains whether sufficient time and opportunity were provided for members and contestants to understand the electoral arrangements before the vote.

The postponement also means that the branch will have to resolve the disagreement over the voters’ register and establish a process that commands the confidence of the contestants before a fresh election date can be announced.

The development is an unsettling setback for the branch as it seeks to complete its leadership election, with the focus now shifting to the Electoral Committee’s response and whether the outstanding concerns can be addressed before the poll is rescheduled.

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Until a new date is announced, candidates and members of the Port Harcourt branch will be watching closely for further communication from the Electoral Committee on the voters’ register, electoral modalities and the arrangements for the postponed election.