The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has ruled out the petition filed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the partners of the law firm, Wole Olanipekun & Co, to be investigated for alleged misconduct.
The petition followed a letter written by a staff of the chambers, Adekumbi Ogunde, soliciting a brief from SAIPEM, in a $130 million suit against the Rivers State Government.
The brief was already being handled by the chambers of Odein Ajumogobia, a former attorney-general of Rivers State.
NBA president Olumide Akpata had also written to the founder of the chambers, Wole Olanipekun, asking him to recuse himself as chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB) to allow investigation into the association’s petition.
This was despite the explanation by the writer of the letter to SAIPEM, Ms Ogunde, that the principal partners of the chambers were not aware of the letter.
However, in an extract signed by the Secretary of the LPDC, Daniel Tela, the initial member review concluded that since there was no evidence to show that Ogunde acted with the consent of the partners of the law firm, the NBA’s petition had no merit.
The extract, dated August 19, stated: “With response to the Applicant’s prayer to consider whether the firm of Wole Olanipekun & Co are not liable to be disciplined, I hold the humble view that since there is no evidence to show that the Respondent indeed acted with the knowledge and consent of the Principal Partners, especially with the Partner’s constant denial of the content of Exhibit 1 to the effect that the Respondent acted without the authority and consent of the Principal Partners or the firm, I cannot situate the angle of the Applicant’s prayer to both the Act and the Rules;
“Accordingly, I no see merit in recommending further investigation against the partners of Wole Olanipekun &Co. I so hold.”
