By Samuel Oyejola
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, LLPC, has elevated 30 lawyers including prominent Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo and Akinlolu Osinbajo who is the younger brother to the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
The newly appointed Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mrs. Hadizatu Mustapha, released names of the successful applicants to newsmen in Abuja Today.
Among those that were conferred with the prestigious rank include younger brother to the acting President, Akinlolu Osinbajo, who was former Attorney General of Ogun State.
Attorney General of Kwara State, Kamaldeen Ajibade, former national legal adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and gubernatorial candidate of Alliance for Democracy, AD in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, as well as human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, also made the list.
Keyamo in particular has been denied the rank for several years by the LPPC. He has a history of being involved in several controversial and high-profile cases.
Others are Chibuike Nwokeukwu, Johnnie Egwuonwu, Bert Chukwuneta Igwilo, Sylvester Elema, Ikenna Egbuna, Wilcox Abereton, Michael Alliyu, Francis Egele, Prof. Enefiok Essien.
Prof. Sadiq Shikyl, Prof. Adebambo Adewopo, Prof. Adedeji Adekunle, Nasser Dangiri, Oluwatoyin Bashorun, Emeka Okpoko, Sani Garun-Gabbas, Abdul Ibrahim, John Odubela, Gboyega Oyewole, Joshua Musa, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, Oyetola Oshobi, Sulaiman Usman, Kehinde Ogunwumiju and Chiesonu Okpoko.
According to the apex court CR, Mrs. Mustapha who doubles as Secretary of the LLPC, the 30 new SANs were selected from a total of 156 applicants.
She added that though 72 of the applicants were initially shortlisted, the LLPC, pursuant to its powers under section 5 of Legal Practitioners’ Act, Laws of the Federation 2004 as amended, pruned down the list to 30.
Whereas four of the newly appointed SANs emerged from the academia, only one woman made the cut.
Meantime, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, will swear in the new SANs on September 18.