A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Wole Olanipekun, has been asked to recuse himself from his position as Chairman of the Body of Benchers, BOB.
The call came from the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, through a letter dated July 22, 2022, and signed by its President, Olumide Akpata, who said the call became necessary for the emplacement of interim leadership, to allow the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, to investigate an alleged act of professional misconduct by one of Olanipekun’s partners.
The letter was addressed to Olanipekun and same titled, RE: PETITION AGAINST MS ADEKUNBI OGUNDE BY THE NIG. BAR ASSOCIATION FOR ALLEGED MISCONDUCT.
It would be recalled that about a month ago, Ogunde, a partner in the law firm of Wole Olanipekun and Co., had admitted sending an email to Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd to solicit a brief that was being handled by Ajumogobia and Okeke, the law firm of another SAN, Odein Ajumogobia.
The brief specifically related to the ongoing $130 million case at the Rivers State High Court brought by the Rivers State government.
Soliciting for the brief, Ogunde had written to one Mr. Caio Francesco of Saipem, claiming that her law firm, Wole Olanipekeun & Co., would be more influential in helping Saipem avert a potentially huge payout to the Rivers State government.
Her firm also sent out a disclaimer that Ogunde’s letter was sent out without their authority.
And by a letter dated July 19, the NBA wrote a petition against Ogunde recommending that she be required to answer for the allegations of professional misconduct.
Then on Friday, the NBA came up with a call that Olanipekun should step aside to allow for due process and for the LPDC to carry out its duties without the BOB chairman coming under undue suspicion of impartiality.
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