Lawyer stripped of SAN nomination — five days to conferment

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has stripped Ikhide Ehighelua, a lawyer, of his nomination for the title of a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). 

The nomination was withdrawn from Ehighelua five days to the conferment of the title over a petition that he instigated contradictory judgement from sister courts.

The SAN title is seen as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who are in full-time practice.

Conferment of the title is made in accordance with the legal practitioners act (Cap L11 LFN 2004).

Ehighelu was alongside Festus Keyamo a human rights lawyer, and Akinlolu Osinbajo, brother of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, nominated for the title in July.

But the LPPC, in a statement issued at the end of its emergency meeting on Wednesday, announced the withdrawal of the title from Ehigheula and placed him on a five year-probation period during which his conducts will determine whether he can re-apply to be made a SAN or not.

The petition accused Ehighelua of filing a suit with the number A/36/2017 at a Delta state high court for an interim injunction which was dismissed for lack of merit.

Following the dismissal, Ehighelua filled an appeal at the Benin division of the court of appeal.

After filing the appeal, Ehighelua went ahead to institute a fresh suit at another high court seeking the same reliefs as those dismissed in suit number A/36/2017.

Subsequently, Ehighelua on July 30, controversially secured the intended interim injunction at the other court and proceeded to implement it.

The LPPC described Ehighelua’s action as a blatant disregard for the provisions set out as guidelines for senior advocates in Nigeria.

“That the nomination for the conferment of the Award of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire on July 12, 2018 is hereby withdrawn,” LLPC said in a statement signed by Hadiza Mustapha, its secretary.

“He subsequently wrote a letter dated July, 31 2018 to the Executive Governor of Delta State notifying him of the existence of the Interim Injunction above.

“That Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire is hereby barred from applying for the Award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria for the next five (5) years or five applications beginning from 2019.

“That after the expiration of this period, Ikhide Ehighelua, Esquire would be at liberty to apply for the rank subject to good behaviour as assessed by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee.”