The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential election was thrown into uncertainty on Saturday after a cyberattack disrupted the association’s electronic voting platform, preventing the exercise from starting as scheduled.
Voting was expected to begin at midnight on July 18, but many lawyers reported they were unable to access the portal to cast their ballots.
In a statement to candidates, voters, agents, consultants and observers, the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) apologised for the disruption, describing it as a deliberate and sustained cyberattack aimed at sabotaging the electoral process.
The committee said the attack was intended to undermine the credibility and smooth conduct of the election.
According to the ECNBA, its cybersecurity team, working alongside the Election Voting Service Provider (EVSP), has activated emergency security measures to contain the breach and restore the platform.
It said voting would begin immediately after the system is fully secured and back online.
The committee clarified that no voting had taken place before the disruption and assured members that no ballots were being accepted at the time the notice was issued.
Lawyers were urged to wait for further official updates before attempting to access the voting portal.
The ECNBA also warned members to use only the official voting website, www.ecnbaovs.org.ng, cautioning that other links or messages circulating online could be part of the cyberattack targeting the election.
