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Foremost constitutional lawyer and human rights crusader, Professor Mike Ozekhome, has been relieved of the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Ozekhome, a professor of law, was suspended from the SAN rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) at its 173rd General Meeting.
A statement by the LPPC, signed by its Secretary, Mr. Kabiru Eniola Akanbi, explained that the action was taken against Ozekhome pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the SAN Rank and matters pertaining to the rank.
Read Also: 2027 Elections Could Be Sabotaged By Judges, Lawyers – Falana
Akanbi, who also doubles as the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, further stated that the action is pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings presently before the Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee of the LPPC.
According to the statement, the suspension of Ozekhome is intended to safeguard the integrity, dignity and prestige of the SAN rank.
“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), at its 173rd General Meeting held on 23d June 2026, approved the suspension of Chief Mike Ozekhome from the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
“Accordingly, Chief Mike Ozekhome shall refrain from parading himself, presenting himself, or otherwise holding himself out as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings.
“The LPPC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, and discipline within the legal profession and to ensuring that the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria continues to command public confidence and respect,” the statement added.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has warned that conflicting court judgments involving the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the 2027 general elections could create uncertainty capable of undermining the electoral process if not urgently addressed.
In a statement titled “Nigerian Judges and Lawyers Should Be Prevented From Sabotaging the 2027 Election,” Falana criticised what he described as contradictory rulings delivered by judges of coordinate jurisdiction on the powers of INEC to fix timelines for party primaries and submission of membership registers.
According to him, the conflicting decisions have placed INEC in a difficult position, as the commission now appears free to decide which judgment to obey.
The senior advocate said such inconsistencies from courts of equal jurisdiction could weaken public confidence in the judiciary and the electoral process.
He maintained that judges and lawyers must avoid actions capable of destabilising preparations for the 2027 polls, noting that legal disputes should not be used to create confusion around electoral procedures.
The statement reads, “Last Wednesday, the Federal High Court invalidated the timeline issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of primaries and the nomination of candidates, ahead of the 2027 general election. In a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar, the Court also set aside the INEC’s May 10 deadline requiring political parties to submit a register and database of all their members as a condition for qualifying to participate in the general elections.
“It held that the time frame the electoral umpire announced for political parties to conduct their primaries and to submit, withdraw, or replace the names and particulars of their candidates for the general elections “is inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.” The case was filed against INEC by the Youth Party.
“Yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appealed against the Federal High Court’s judgement which nullified its revised timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2027 general elections. INEC also filed a motion for stay of execution of the judgement, pending the hearing and determination of its appeal at the Court of Appeal.
“Today, the Federal High Court affirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the legal authority to fix timelines within which political parties must conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections. In the judgment, the court held that INEC is empowered under the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2026 to issue election timetables that include deadlines for political party primaries and related preparatory activities.
