Nwofor, Sheriff’s lawyer, loses SAN rank over alleged misconduct

The legal practitioners’ privileges committee has stripped Beluolisa Nwofor, a lawyer, of his senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title over act “unbefitting of the holder of the rank”.

Nwofor had represented Ali Modu Sheriff in a suit at the appeal court seeking the declaration of Jimoh Ibrahim as the authentic PDP candidate in the Ondo state governorship election of November 2016.

He accused the panel of justices led by Ibrahim Saulawa, which was presiding over the case, of bribery and bias, and he asked it to withdraw from the matter. Following the allegations, the court suspended its hearing until the supreme court gave it the go-ahead to do so.

The appeal court eventually declared Eyitayo Jegede as the authentic PDP candidate for the election.

In a statement, the committee said it took the decision at its general meeting after considering a petition filed against Nwofor by the appeal court.

“The legal practitioner’s privileges committee at its 126th general meeting held on June 22nd 2017, considered extensively the complaint filed by the court of appeal of Nigeria against B E I Nwofor, Esq. A senior advocate of Nigeria with his response to same and all material facts and have decided that B E I Nwofor Esq; a senior advocate of Nigeria conducted himself in a manner unbefitting of a holder of the esteemed rank of senior advocate of Nigeria,” it read.

“By reason of the foregoing, the rank of senior advocate of Nigeria (including all its privileges) has been withdrawn from B E I Nwofor, forthwith.”

Nwofor is also the lawyer who defended Chidi Lloyd, a former Rivers state house of assembly member, who assaulted a fellow lawmaker with the mace on the floor of the chamber in July 2013.