Eight months after stripping Adekunle Ogunba of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has restored the rank to the lawyer.
The SAN rank is considered a mark of excellence awarded by the LLPC to lawyers the committee considers to have contributed significantly to the development of the legal profession and who can advise on issues in administration of justice in the country.
The LLPC is empowered to strip an advocate of the award, as a disciplinary measure, where the said senior advocate is considered to have acted in a manner inimical of the honour attributed to the rank.
Mr Agunba was stripped of the SAN title in January, following allegations he instituted similar applications in sister courts to propel contradictory judgements of court.
“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee at its 129th Plenary Meeting has withdrawn the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Kunle Ogunba Esq. and all other privileges attached to the rank forthwith,” the committee said in a statement on January 12.
In another statement on Monday, however, the LLPC said its reversal of the decision followed findings from an application for review filed by Mr Ogunba.
“As a result of the acceptance of the findings of the Ad-hoc committee, in respect of applications for review submitted by Adekunle Babtunde Ogunba, Esq. to the legal practitioners committee, the committee has decided to restore the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and its privileges on Adekunle Babatunde Ogunba Esq. with effect from September 20, 2018.”
The statement signed by the secretary of the LLPC, Hadizatu Mustaphpa, also urged Mr Ogunba to conduct himself honourably going forward.
The LLPC recently de-robed another senior advocate, Ikhide Ehighelua, of the SAN title for the same offence.
Mr Ehighelua was directed to relinquish the privilege for five years, during which further observations of his behaviour will determine the next course of action.
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