HISTORY, AS LPPC SHUNS BOSAN, APPOINTS 72 SANS

• PROMISES TO REFORM SAN RANK

• NEW GUIDELINES FOR 2023 AWARDS

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has brushed aside a strident call by the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) to appoint 72 senior lawyers as Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

History was made today following release of list of newly appointed senior advocates of Nigeria by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC).

The committee bestowed the coveted rank on the first clergy man as well as a serving senior police officer. These are Rev. (Dr.) Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora (Anambra State) and Simon Asember Lough (Benue State), a Deputy Commissioner of Police serving at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the LPPC which has the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tank Muhammad as its chairman, has set up a sub-committee to review the guidelines for the award of the rank. This may not be unconnected with the damning indictment of the award process by the influential Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) as reported exclusively by CITY LAWYER.

According to the press release issued today by Hajo Sarki Bello Esquire, Acting Chief Registrar of Supreme Court and LPPC Secretary, 72 lawyers were elevated to the new rank, comprising 62 advocates and 10 academics. The appointees would be sworn-in on December 8, 2021 at the Supreme Court premises, Abuja.

The application for the 2022 exercise would open in January, said the committee, adding: “In the meantime, the Legal Practitioners Privileges committee wishes to notify the general public that it has set up a sub-committee to review the 2018 Guidelines for the award of the rank effective from 2023 award year.”

It is recalled that BOSAN had expressed worry over the huge number of applicants recently shortlisted for award of the rank, warning that unless a holistic review of the award process is undertaken by the LPPC, the rank risked losing its prestige and standing among stakeholders.

Saying that it was gladdened by the receipt of a letter from the LPPC to its earlier complaint, BOSAN however expressed disappointment at the recent turn of events, saying: “However, following the recent announcement of the shortlisting of 130 candidates shortlisted in the process for conferment with the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, we are of the considered opinion that the concerns raised in our earlier referenced letter have not been addressed.”

Pledging its support of the reform process “in any way possible” and as a “dominant stakeholder” in the entire exercise, the body advised that the review process “should re-evaluate the criteria, guidelines and administrative processes leading to the selection, including the personnel at the SAN/LPPC Administrative Secretariat/Department, proper pre-screening of applicants, competitive processes and independent assessment free of lobbying, all geared towards attaining and sustaining continuous improvements and retaining the dignity, respect and reverence of the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the legal profession in general.”

Below is the list of the SANs-designate.

ACADEMIC appointees:

1. Prof Bankole Akintoye Sodipo

2. Prof Christian Chizundu Wigwe

3. Prof Ajagbe Toriola Oyewo

4. Prof Rasheed Jimoh Ijaodola

5. Prof Oluyinka Osayame Omorogbe

6. Dr Josephine Aladi Achor Agbonika

7. Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi

8. Prof Edoba Bright Omoregie

9. Prof Abiola Olaitan Sanni

10. Dr Anthony Ojukwu Okechukwu

ADVOCATES appointees

11. George Audu Anuga

12. Simon Asember Lough

13. Eko Ejembi Eko

14. Ayo Abraham Olorunfemi

15. Reuben Okpanachi Atabo

16. John Ogwu Adele

17. Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa

18. Eyitayo Ayokunle Fatogun

19. Jacob Johnson Usman

20. Tajudeen Olaseni Oladoja

21. Salman Jawando Ayinla

22. Adeola Rasaq Omotunde

23. Mathew Gwar Bukka

24. Mohammed Ndayako

25. Hassan Usman El-Yakub

26. Ishaq Magaji Hussaini

27. Samuel Atung

28. Mohammed Abdulhamid

29. Kabiru Aliyu

30. Mohammed Abdulaziz Sani

31. Uche Sunday Awa

32. Uchenna Chinyere Ihediwa

33. Philip Ndubuisi Umeh

34. Peter Aguigom Afuba

35. Felix Anayo Onuzulike

36. Benjamin Chukwudi Uzuegbu

37. Benjamin Nworah Osaka

38. Ikenna Okoli

39. Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora

40. Emeka Jude-Philip Obegolu

41. Clement Onwuenwunor

42. Chijioke Ogugua Precious Emeka

43. Anthony Obinna Mogboh

44. Victor Ugwuezumba Opara

45. Kamasuode Wodu

46. Charles Udoka Ihua-Maduenyi

47. Sammie Abiye Somiari

48. Ogaga Ovrawah

49. Charles Dumbiri Mekwunye

50. Ikeazor Ajovi Akaraiwe

51. Marcellous Eguvwe Oru

52. Mark Okebuinor Mordi

53. Ehiogie West-Idahosa

54. Fredricks Ebos Itula

55. Ibrahim Idris Agbomere

56. Anthony Ademuyiwa Adeniyi

57. Bolarinwa Olotu

58. Adekola Olawale Fapohunda

59. Adekunle Akanbi Ojo

60. Olaotan Olusegun Ajose-Adeogun

61. Rotimi Sheriff Seriki

62. Olukayode Oluwole Adeluola

63. Adeyinka Moyosore Kotoye

64. Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade 65. Afolabi Fatai Kuti

66. Francis Omotosho

67. Ayodeji Adedipe

68. Adeleke Olaniyi Agbola

69. James Akingbola Akinola

70. Muritala Oladimeji Abdul-Rasheed

71. Dauda Adekola Mustapha

72. Kazeem Adekunle Gbadamosi

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