The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has formally requested that the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) rescind the suspension of Professor Mike Ozekhome’s Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) status. The suspension, enacted during the committee’s 173rd general meeting on June 23, 2026, is currently linked to an active prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offenses Commission (ICPC), which is now under the authority of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Secretary to the LPPC, Kabir Akanbi, initially stated the move was necessary to preserve the prestige and ethical standards of the SAN designation, citing Paragraph 26(6) of the relevant conferment guidelines while disciplinary reviews remain ongoing. ALDRAP, however, argues that this decision violates the sub-judice rule, as the legal matters involved are currently being adjudicated in court.
Through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request signed by Jesse Williams Amuga, the group has demanded both the legal justification for the suspension and copies of the meeting minutes. ALDRAP Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, further criticized the LPPC for a recurring tendency to bypass judicial processes, citing past instances where the committee issued public statements on issues currently undergoing litigation at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
The association has warned of potential legal action if their request for information is ignored. Furthermore, they have petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to address these concerns, asserting that the LPPC’s actions undermine the independence of the judiciary and ignore established legal precedents regarding the rule of law and the avoidance of self-help by government institutions.
