Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has formally filed a petition before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), seeking the disbarment of Senator Nedamwen Bernards Imasuen from the Nigerian Bar.
Imasuen is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
The petition, grounded on allegations of professional misconduct, claimed that Senator Imasuen was previously disbarred from the New York Bar for fraud, misappropriation of client funds, and failure to respond to disciplinary authorities.
According to the petition, Senator Imasuen was permanently disbarred by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, on May 10, 2010, following a complaint by Daphne Slyfield, a client who accused him of misappropriating legal fees.
The court found him guilty of multiple breaches of professional conduct, leading to the revocation of his legal license in the United States.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that, despite his disbarment, Senator Imasuen relocated to Nigeria and continued presenting himself as a legal practitioner while venturing into politics.
He was eventually elected as the Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District and appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, a role requiring unimpeachable integrity.
The petition further stated that Senator Imasuen failed to disclose his disbarment in his FORM EC-9 – Particulars of Personal Information submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before contesting for public office.
The legal action comes in the wake of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate, which she claims was orchestrated by Senator Imasuen in defiance of a court order.
In her petition, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described Senator Imasuen’s actions as contempt of court, citing Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (2023), which mandates that lawyers must always treat the court with respect, dignity, and honour.
She further accused him of procedural bias, stating that he dismissed her petition alleging sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio on procedural grounds, while actively pursuing disciplinary action against her.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that Senator Imasuen’s defiance of a subsisting court order and his unethical conduct violate Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct (2023), which mandates lawyers to uphold the rule of law and maintain high professional standards.
She contended that under Rule 74(1) of the RPC, 2023, Senator Imasuen’s actions constitute professional misconduct, warranting his removal from the Roll of Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
As the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee commences its review of the petition, the case is expected to spark significant legal and political debate, particularly regarding the ethical obligations of public officials who are also members of the legal profession.
