A senior lawyer Wemimo Ogunde has resigned his membership of Justice Reform Project (JRP) over the group’s call for Wole Olanipekun to step down as chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB).
Ogunde’s daughter Adekunbi, who is a partner at Olanipekun’s law firm, tried to snatch the client of another lawyer Odein Ajumogobia.
Many condemned her action. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) led the call for Olanipekun to recuse himself as BoB chairman to allow the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LDPC) probe the incident.
Reacting to the fallout, Ogunde said that as a founding member of JRP he was not consulted before the group’s decision to issue the statement.
The former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Ogun said in his statement: “Today, July 29, 2022, my attention was drawn to a publication by BarristerNG, an online law newspaper that 20 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (including me) who are members of the JRP have called for the resignation of Olanipekun (SAN) on account of the email written by my daughter.
“I want to state categorically that I do not wish to be associated with that statement. At no time did I participate in any meeting or discussion where the content of the statement was tabled or my consent sought or obtained.
“The NBA has filed a complaint against my daughter before the LPDC and I think as lawyers, the sanctity and independence of that body should be respected.
“It must be noted that no complaint was filed against any other partner and Mr Odein Ajumogobia (SAN) has neither filed any complaint nor deposed to any statement in support of the NBA’s complaint. My focus as a father at this time is to assist my daughter prepare her defence.
“However, one thing that is clear is that the innocence of the other partners has been clearly expressed. Whether they are vicariously liable for the acts of Ms Adekunbi Ogunde is one of the questions already submitted before the LPDC. Until then, the presumption of innocence of everyone involved, a constitutional right, ought to be respected.
“In the circumstances, my membership of JRP has now become untenable. I believe and support my daughter’s solemn declaration expressed privately and publicly, that the email was written unilaterally, without the knowledge of any other partner in Wole Olanipekun & Co.”
