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NBA Asks Benchers Chairman, Wole Olanipekun To Step Down Over Partner’s Probe

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has asked legal luminary, Wole Olanipekun to step down as the Body of Benchers (BOB) chairman over the Saipem saga.

NBA President, Olumide Akpata signed a July 22 letter addressed to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Akpata made the call following a petition against Ms. Adekunbi Ogunde, a partner at Wole Olanipekun & Co.

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Ogunde is accused of engaging in “conduct incompatible with her status and in flagrant disregard of rules of professional conduct”.

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Akpata informed Olanipekun that the NBA had taken the matter to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).

The LPDC is a panel under the BOB which Olanipekun, a former NBA President, heads.

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Akpata said he is in a situation where his continued occupancy of the office would conflict with or influence LPDC processes.

“I am constrained to invite you to recuse yourself from the chairmanship of the BOB and to emplace and interim leadership.”

The NBA believes this would ensure the panel carried out its investigation of Ogunde, “without coming under the suspicion of impartiality”.

“I am pained that I have to make this call, but in this circumstance, it is in the best interest of our Association and of the legal profession in Nigeria ”, Akpata added.

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She sent an email to Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd soliciting a brief after the Rivers state government preferred charges against the company over allegations of $130million fraud.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Court Remands Suspended Accountant-General In Prison

Though the firm of Henry Ajumogobia (SAN) is defending Saipem, Ogunde told the management to consider hiring Olanipekun & Co.

The partner informed CEO Francesco Caio that Olanipekun has more “influence” with judges across all courts.

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We are aware that another law firm is currently in the matter but you will agree that highly-sensitive and political matters require more influence.

“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.”

In a protest letter, Ajumogobia declared that the action was a breach of mandatory rule, especially the acknowledgement that Saipem had a counsel.

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“That I and my firm of Ajumogobia & Okeke were retained in the matter, was a matter of public record and was personally known to you and your firm, since you had asked me about the matter during our Unilag Law Faculty Alumni dinner at Harbour point in February,” he wrote.

Ogunde apologized to Ajumogobia: “My email of 20th June 2022 (although done in exuberance, but in good faith and with altruism) has caused great distress, embarrassment and trauma to the people I hold and will continue to very dearly.”

On June 24, Olanipekun again apologized in a rejoinder, stressing that no one authorized the email by Ogunde.

First, let it be known without any equivocation that the said letter was written without the instruction, authority, mandate, approval or consent of Wole Olanipekun & Co.; it was also not brought to our attention by the writer.

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“Second, it has never been the practice of our law firm to solicit for cases or clientele, and we shall never indulge ourselves in this disturbing practice and trend.”

The letter said Ogunde acted on her own, “and we do wholly dissociate ourselves from the letter and its contents: internal measures would immediately be taken to address and redress this very unfortunate situation.”

“The writer never discussed her intention to write the letter or showed it to any person or counsel in the office, either before or after sending it to Mr. Caio.\

“We unreservedly apologize to the highly respected H. Odein Ajumogobia, SAN, OFR, and the entire law firm of Ajumogobia & Okeke for the embarrassment which the letter might have caused them”.

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Olanipekun added that the matter has also caused his chamber “a lot of embarrassment as well”.

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In petition 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 body 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”.

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2023: Why INEC Servers Failed To Work – Peter Obi

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has explained why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, servers failed to work during the 2023 presidential election.

He said the ‘establishment of criminality’ made the INEC servers not work during the last last general elections.

Obi stated this, while addressing the issues of the 2023 elections, including the IREV servers, in Canada during the weekend.

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READ ALSO: Underbridge Tenants: Lagos Govt Uncovers Identity Of Ring Leader

The Labour Party flagbearer in 2023 said people must intensify engagement with all the stakeholders to make the system work.

The former Anambra State governor explained that Amazon testified there were no glitches recorded globally on the day of the presidential election.

He said: “Where did we go wrong in the last election? We didn’t go wrong anywhere. We did the right things.

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“But as I can always tell people: when you bring a change, you fight all those who live off the old order. They don’t go away; they gang up. And don’t think it’s a straight race to remove an establishment.

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“It’s a long-distance journey anywhere in the world. Go and check anywhere, whether you are looking at what happened in India, with Mandela in South Africa, or America. No change has happened overnight, it takes time.

“I urge all of you, if you really want change, we have just begun. We just have to continue from where we are.

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“Yes, there might be one or two things we will correct, those things we will correct. I assure you we are correcting them without naming them.It’s not going to be easy.”

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INC Vows To Internationalise Ijaw Struggle

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The Ijaw National Congress (INC) says time has come to internationalise the “Ijaw struggle” beyond rhetoric.

Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC, said this in a communique of the 2024 edition of the Ijaw National Day celebration held in Bayelsa.

Okaba said that the vexatious factors that provoked grievances between the late Maj. Adaka Boro and the federal government in the improper management of the oil political economy of Nigeria, have remained unmitigated.

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He noted that the situation had worsened with its attendant impunity.

READ ALSO: Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB

According to him, the Ijaw environment continues to bear the brunt of petroleum resources exploitation-related pollution without concomitant remediation or reparations of the heavily despoiled ecosystem.

Instead, Ijaw communities still face the adverse effects of uncontrollable spills, perennial flooding, ocean encroachment and so on,” he said.

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The INC president noted that at different forums, it had been made clear that the Ijaw agenda of self-determination was premised on resource and environmental justice.

“What all Ijaw people seek is for a fair, just and justifiable reward for our resources and sacrifices.

“The Ijaw Congress has articulated a set of prescient conditions for its continuous commitment to the Nigerian project and these include restoration of true federalism (fiscal federalism).

READ ALSO: Ijaw Group Tackles OPC, CSO Over Call For Review Of Tompolo’s Surveillance Contract

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“Devolution of power and repel of all obnoxious and discriminatory environmental and resource related laws (Land Use, PIA), as well as restoration of Ijaw Territory as non-balkanised, administrative and politically generated unit(s).

“This is for the reassurance and promotion of Ijaw developmental pursuits by creating at least two additional states, more local government areas and wards for the Ijaws.

“Remediation of our massively polluted and endangered environment and the enforcement of adherence to international environmental best practices by IOC’s operating in Ijaw territories,” he said.

Okaba also demanded for the relocation of the administrative headquarters of all oil companies and their subsidiaries to their operational bases in Ijaw territory and Niger Delta.

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READ ALSO: Ijaw Demand Environmental Clean-up Before IOCs Exit Niger Delta

He further called for proper funding and management of the Interventionist Agencies such as the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Niger Delta Development Commission.

We call for the promotion of modular refineries owned by our people.

“We also want a balance in appointment at the federal levels (the civil service, military and oil companies) as well as equitable distribution of critical infrastructure, to reflect the true principles of federal character.”

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He said it was against this backdrop that the theme of the 2024 Ijaw National Day “Re-Invigorating Our Resolve to take the Ijaw struggle for Self-determination beyond Rhetoric” was derived.

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Drake Gives Condition To Quit Music As Feud With Kendrick Lamar Thickens

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US rapper Drake has vowed to quit his music career if allegations regarding a secret daughter are substantiated.

The controversy started when rival artiste Kendrick Lamar, in his diss track ‘Meet The Grahams,’ levied accusations suggesting Drake’s involvement with an 11-year-old secret daughter.

Lamar branded the Canadian rapper a “deadbeat” for purportedly neglecting his paternal responsibilities

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Renowned American media personality Akademiks, however, disclosed rapper’s response to the allegations during a recent broadcast.

According to Akademiks, Drake denied the claims, going as far as promising to leave the music industry and work for Akademiks if any evidence of the alleged secret daughter emerged.

During his Saturday night show, Akademiks shared the rapper’s direct message, stating, “Drake hit [texted] me, he said, ‘Ak, if you or anybody can prove that I have an 11-year-old daughter, I’ll quit rapping and come work for you.’”

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