A Senior Advocate of Nigeria(SAN) Chief Wole Olanipekun has reacted to the purported letter trending on the social asking him to resign over an issue bothering on alleged professional misconduct accusing the leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) of pursuing an agenda.
Akpata, in the letter, informed the embattled senior advocate that the NBA had taken the matter to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
The partner informed the CEO Francesco Caio that Olanipekun has more “influence” with judges across all courts.
“We are happy to work with the current lawyers to achieve the desired results. Chief Olanipekun SAN, OFR, will significantly switch things in favour of SAIPEM.”
Ogunde included that Olanipekun chairs the BoB comprising “Supreme Court judges, presiding justices of the Court of Appeal and chief judges of all state High Courts, including the Rivers State High Court.”
“As we talk, I am yet to get a copy of the letter. People have been calling me but I can’t react to a document that I have not seen”, he stressed.
The letter by Akpata had asked Olanipekun to step down as the BoB Chairman over an allegation of misconduct which affected a female lawyer, Ms. Adekunbi Ogunde, a partner at Wole Olanipekun & Co. Chambers.
In a protest letter, Ajumogobia declared that the action was a breach of mandatory rule, especially the acknowledgement that Saipem had a counsel.
Meanwhile, Ogunde and Olanipekun have apologized to Ajumogobia.
On June 24, Olanipekun in a rejoinder stressed that no one authorized the email by Ogunde.
In the petition with registration number, BB/LPDC/901/2022 to the LPDC, John Aikpokpo-Martins, NBA vice president, said the issue brought shame to the justice system and legal profession.
The petition wants to know whether Wole Olanipekun & Co. “are not liable to be disciplined…seeing that the respondent has the ostensible authority to act as a partner, and indeed acted for and on behalf of the said firm”.
Akpata said Olanipekun was in a situation where his continued occupancy of the office would conflict with or influence LPDC processes.