A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, has emerged as the president-elect in the just-concluded 2024 NBA election.

He polled 20,435 votes to beat his closest contender, the Chairman of the NBA-Institute of Continuing Legal Education Governing Council, Tobenna Erojikwe, who scored 10,998 votes.

The online voting began at 12am yesterday and ended at 11.59pm with the live results for all positions also presented online.

As of 12am on Sunday, Osigwe secured 20,395 votes, defeating Erojikwe, who garnered 10,970 votes while former NBA Lagos Branch Chairman, Chukwuka Ikwuazom (SAN), got 9,007 votes.

Osigwe is set to succeed the outgoing President, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN).

The position of the Ist Vice-President went to Mr. Sabastine Anyia who polled 12, 114 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr. Barthlomew Aguegbodo, who scored 6,864 votes, while four other contestants trailed behind.

For the position of the 2nd Vice-President, Mrs Bolatumi Olasunbo Animashun polled 26, 534 votes to defeat Mr. Pius Idemudia Oiwoh scored 11, 121 votes.

Similarly, Mrs. Zainab Aminu Garba defeated Mr. Michael Olarewaju Olorunmola to emerge as the 3rd Vice-President, having polled 23, 550 votes against Olorunmola’s 13, 897 votes.

The post of General Secretary went to Dr. Mobolaji Idris Ojibara, who scored 25, 713 votes to defeat Mr. Abdulwasiu Alpha, who scored 11, 730 votes.

The new NBA President-elect, Osigwe was born on October 25, 1972.

He graduated from the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus in 1997 and was called to the Bar in 1999. He started legal practice with Chike Chigbue and Co, Abuja Office in 1999 and left in 2002 to found his firm, the LAW FORTE (Legal Practitioners, Corporate Consultants and Notary Public).

In 2006 he became a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In 2010, he concluded a face-to-face tutorial at Keble College, Oxford, and obtained a Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration.

Osigwe became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) in 2011.

In 2007 he obtained a Master’s of Laws Degree (LL.M) from the University of Jos.

He also holds another LL.M in (Transnational Commercial Practice) from the Centre for International Legal Studies, Austria (in collaboration with the Lazarsky University, Poland).

He has appeared as a counsel in many arbitral proceedings as well as sat as a sole arbitrator or member of arbitral tribunals in commercial disputes. He is an avid reader and researcher.

Osigwe was the last person to hold office as the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) for the whole Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Bwari and Gwagwalada Branches were created during his tenure as Chairman of the Unity Bar.

By consent of the chairmen of Bwari and Gwagwalada Branches of the NBA, he became the first Chairman of Chairmen of NBA Branches in the FCT, in 2012.

He was sworn in as the General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association in August 2014 and held that position till the expiration of his tenure on August 26, 2016.