LPPC restores SAN rank to Beluolisa Nwofor — four years after withdrawal over ‘misconduct’

The legal practitioners’ privileges committee (LPPC) has restored the rank of Beluolisa Nwofor, as senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The restoration was conveyed in a formal notification signed by Tanko Mohammed, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the LPPC.

In 2017, the committee had stripped Nwofor of the rank, following a petition by the court of appeal.

He was accused of acting unbefitting of the rank when he appeared before appeal court justices on November 16, 2016, while representing Ali Modu Sheriff in a suit seeking the declaration of Jimoh Ibrahim as the authentic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ondo governorship election.

He had accused the panel of justices, which was presiding over the case, of bribery and bias, and he asked it to withdraw from the matter.

Nwofor had later sued the LPPC, saying he was not accorded fair hearing before the withdrawal of the rank, but the judge dismissed the suit for lack of merit.

In the notification published on Friday, the committee said it restored Nwofor’s rank after it was satisfied that the conditions of restoration had been met.

It, however, warned that Nwofor would be given a stiffer sanction if he goes against the rules of the legal practitioners.

“This is to formally notify you that the legal practitioners’ privileges committee, at its general meeting, held on Tuesday, the 7th day of September, 2021, considered your application for the restoration of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on you, which was earlier withdrawn,” it reads.

“After deliberations, the committee upon being satisfied that conditions for restoration have been met and in the exercise of the powers vested on it by the provisions of Paragraph 27 of the 2018 guidelines for the conferment of the rank of senior advocate of Nigeria and all matters pertaining to the rank, resolved to restore the use of the rank in your favour with immediate effect.

“Sequel to the foregoing, the committee has further directed that you be informed that any future act or conduct on your part that runs foul of the provisions of the rules of professional conduct of legal practitioners may attract a stiffer sanction against you.”