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Alleged Misconduct: SANs berate NBA President over ‘disrespectful’ letter to Olanipekun

Three members of the Inner Bar have criticized the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, over his ‘disrespectful’ handling of the issue involving a past president of the Bar and Chairman, Body of Benchers (BOB), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), on the alleged infraction of a partner in his chamber, Adekunbi Ogunde. Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), Chief Bennbella Anachebe (SAN) and Chief Samuel Okutepa (SAN) expressed their displeasure at the way the issue was handled by Akpata, saying he ought to first reach out to Olanipekun and other elders of the Bar before turning the matter into a media circus. Ahamba said: “You don’t ask anybody to take steps on an issue he is ignorant of. I believe that the President of the Bar should have contacted Chief Olanipekun even though the subject matter of the crisis is worrisome to some of us.

“All the same, it is always good to follow procedure. He should have asked him what his comment on the issues is. He should have listened to him before asking him to step down. That the letter was written at all was worrisome because of speculations behind the move by some lawyers to the bench. It is worrisome when you see this kind of accusation. Everybody must have a fair hearing”. Anachebe argued that Akpata’s letter to Olanipekun was written with underlining mischief. He said: “It was not supposed to have been written being mindful of his status without hearing from him first. I will think as a former President of the Bar; he ought to have made personal contact with him alongside other senior members of the Bar.”

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