NNPP accuses Senior Advocate of refusing to show up for case at Appeal Court

The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), yesterday, expressed dismay over the non appearance of its lead counsel, Mr.Chijioke Emeka, SAN, at the hearing of the appeal filed by its Ogun State chapter, before the Court of Appeal, sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

This is just as the party demanded a refund of the part payment of the legal fee paid to the Senior Advocate.

It would be recalled that in order to successfully prosecute their petition at the Appeal Court, Ibadan, the NNPP and its gubernatorial candidate in 2023 general elections in Ogun state, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, engaged the Senior Advocate through their Counsel, Isaac Dale Izunya of Izunya Izunya law firm, to join the legal team of the party as lead counsel in a petition against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Governor Dapo Abiodun and the All Progressives Congress (APC), over the omission of its name on the ballot paper used in conducting the March 18, governorship election in Ogun State.

But speaking on the development while addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Secretary of the party in the South West zone, Comrade Babatunde Oke, lamented the non appearance of the Senior Advocate before the Appeal Court which necessitated the striking out of the case, stating that his conduct was tantamount to bastardization of SAN title.

He maintained that a lawyer of his status should be trusted and professional enough to get in touch with his client if he would not be able to present in court, disclosing that 

no excuse was given by the Senior Advocate for his failure to be present in court.

While calling on the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to sanction Emeka for breach of contract, he stated that the party is seeking for the refund of the part payment it paid to Emeka as legal fee.

According to him, "How can a SAN, the highest rank in the legal profession descended so low and caught in the web of fraudulent act such that after collecting half of his professional legal fee failed to show for job paid for.

"No reason was given before and after his failure to show at the Appeal Court, hence, we are calling on NBA and other related Associations to sanction Emeka, SAN, for his fraudulent act."

Oke added that a letter for the refund and dated 11th July, 2023, with the heading, "RE: Letter of Engagement For The Prosecution Of The Case Of Our Client: New Nigeria People’s Party", has been sent to the Senior Advocate.