Human rights lawyer and activist, Mr Femi Falana has welcomed the decision by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee [LPPC] suspending the Former Attorney General of the Federation [AGF] and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoaka for two years from the use of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), describing it as "sending an important message that there will be accountability for gross official misconduct no matter the status of who is involved."
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"What the Privileges Committee has done is fully consistent with its powers and authority. As a matter of fact, Section 7 of the Legal Practitioner Act empowers the Committee to ensure the dignity of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)."
"Furthermore, the Guidelines for the award of SAN made pursuant to the Act stipulate that the Committee reserves the right to withdraw the rank, if anyone to whom the privileges have been given abuses it. All that is important and required before the rank is withdrawn is to afford anyone against whom an allegation has been made an opportunity to make a representation before the Committee and that was done in the case of Aondoaka."
Falana said: "I want to commend the Committee for the suspension of the former AG for 2 years. I genuinely believe that this action will go a long way to end the culture of impunity for senior lawyers who use the privilege given to them to subvert the rule of law, and thereby exposing the legal profession to ridicule. Instead of criticising the Privileges Committee, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should see this as a challenge by taking action against lawyers against whom allegations of misconduct have been made."
SaharaReporters (http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/falana-lauds-privileges-committee-decision-aondoaka)