Aondoakaa stripped of SAN - ity
Kamarudeen Ogundele, Eric Ikhilae and Joseph Jibueze
Former Justice Minister, Aondoakaa THE Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) Thursday suspended former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Michael Aondoakaa from using the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The committee took the decision at its meeting held in Abuja.
Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sunday Olorundahunsi said the committee’s decision was taken after due consideration of Aondoakaa’s response to a petition written against him by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).
Olorundahunsi, who is also the Secretary of the committee, said: "…the committee after due consideration of the said response, has decided in its wisdom to suspend him from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and all other privileges attached to that rank pending the outcome of the investigation by the Sub-committee set up by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC).
CDHR President Olasupo Ojo, who signed the petition, said he was pleased with the development and that it would serve as a deterrent to others.
"It is a welcome development. It shows that we can still have men of honour and who believe in integrity in the country’s Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee.
"The body has shown that it awards the rank of Senior Advocate and can moderate the conduct of the awardees. And that it has a standard that must be sustained by anybody on whom the rank is conferred.
"It shows that, whatever office you occupy in this country, you can still be held accountable for your conducts while in office. This will serve as a deterrent to others.
"This is the first time such thing is happening in this country. I am happy. It is a development that gladdens my heart," he said.
The CDHR petition was entitled: "Petition against Continuation of Michael Aondoakaa as Senior Advocate of Nigeria."
It reads: "During the tenure of Mr. Michael Kaase Aondoakaa as the Attorney General of the Federation, the anti-corruption battle suffered serious setback, the cause of which is traceable to the deliberate acts of the AGF.
The petition, which listed cases of abuse of office against Aondoakaa, noted: "Based on the totality of the foregoing, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) finds it imperative in the public interest and in the interest of maintaining the nobility and integrity of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria to ask the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to withdraw the rank of SAN from Mr. Michael Kaase Aondoakaa in order to keep the high esteem that is accorded the rank and the legal profession in Nigeria."
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