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2023: Atiku moves to unite PDP

by Euclid Myke

July 4, 2022

in Politics

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The Presidential Flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has assured that the party is united and passing through democratic reinvention.

He said that agitations being experienced in the party presently is borne out of a collective concern for the growth of our party and the country adding that he does not see a divided house but an opportunity to come together stronger and united.

This is even as stakeholders are sharply divided over the choice of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as Vice Presidential Candidate as against Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, who was overwhelmingly voted for by majority of members of the PDP Vice Presidential candidate selection committee.

Several PDP chieftains have openly challenged the process leading to the choice of Okowa, as many accused Atiku of undermining the report of the 17-man committee he constituted to assist him in the choice of running mate.

Some stake holders including former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and Governor Samuel Ortom have criticised Atiku for not reaching out to Wike when he decided to change the recommendations of the committee.

Ortom on Wednesday accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, of failing to honour the democratic choice in the selection of his running mate.

Ortom also noted the failure of Atiku to reach out to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and some other aggrieved members of the party after picking Governor Okowa as his vice-presidential candidate has created a very big hole in the cohesion of the party.

Amidst these confusions in the opposition party, Atiku in a statement on Sunday said that he will reunite the party, pointing out that what PDP is experiencing at the moment is a manifestation of democracy saying that political conflict is a healthy reality.

He said, “I know, for instance, that when conflicts arise out of genuine concerns about having an inclusive political process, it signposts the viability of that process and, more importantly, the eagerness of stakeholders to be active participants in the success of such process.

“As leaders and stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party, the simmering agitations in our party are a reflection of our credential as a democratic party.

“Whatever our agitations are, I believe it is borne out of a collective concern for the growth of our party and the country. Therefore, I don’t see a divided house in the PDP. I see an opportunity for us to come together stronger and united.

“As a presidential candidate of the PDP, I shall ensure that I do my all to bring the party together under a formidable umbrella.

“We must not lose focus of the bigger purpose of rescuing the country from the hardship that fellow Nigerians continue to endure under the ruling party.

“When the PDP gets better, the hopes in Nigerians gets even higher that rescue is imminent” Atiku stated.

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Opinion

Suspension of Mike Ozekhome SAN: A Hasty Decision By The LPPC And The Prejudicial Effect Of Same

by Newsdesk Africa

June 26, 2026

By Sheriff. C. ADELE, Esq On June 23, 2026, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), at its 173rd General Meeting, approved the suspension of Chief Mike Ozekhome from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). The suspension, announced pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is to remain in force pending the final determination of disciplinary proceedings before the LPPC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee. While the LPPC asserts that the suspension is intended to "safeguard the integrity, dignity and prestige of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria", this decision raises profound concerns about procedural propriety, jurisdictional overreach, and the prejudicial effect it portends for both the legal profession and the administration of justice. This article critically examines the hasty decision of the LPPC, its implications, and why it constitutes a premature verdict that undermines the very principles of natural justice the legal profession is sworn to uphold. Chief Mike Ozekhome, a prominent constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, is currently facing disciplinary proceedings before the LPPC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee. The proceedings relate to his involvement in a controversial property dispute in the United Kingdom concerning a property located at 79 Randall Avenue, London. Chief Ozekhome is also standing trial before an FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on a 12-count charge, to which he has pleaded not guilty. What is particularly significant and troubling is that the same issues before the LPPC are also pending before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), the body statutorily charged with the responsibility of sanctioning legal practitioners for professional misconduct. The LPDC is yet to make any determination on the substantive allegations against chief Ozekhome. Yet, the LPPC has proceeded to impose a suspension that, in practical effect, constitutes a pre-determinative sanction. The Distinct Jurisdictions of the LPPC and LPDC To appreciate the gravity of the LPPC’s decision, it is essential to understand the distinct and separate roles of the LPPC and the LPDC under Nigerian law. The LPPC is a statutory body established under Section 5 of the Legal Practitioners Act. Its primary function is to consider and determine eligible applicants for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the LPPC is also empowered to make rules as to the privileges to be accorded to Senior Advocates of Nigeria. While the LPPC has disciplinary powers over SAN holders, these powers are ancillary to its primary function of conferring and regulating the rank. The LPPC's disciplinary authority is derived from its guidelines, including Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. However, this authority is limited to matters pertaining to the rank itself and the privileges associated with it. The LPDC, by contrast, is a committee of the Body of Benchers established under Section 10 of the Legal Practitioners Act. Its mandate is far broader and more fundamental: it is the primary disciplinary body for all legal practitioners in Nigeria. The LPDC exercises jurisdiction over all lawyers called to the Nigerian Bar and is empowered to investigate allegations of professional misconduct and impose sanctions ranging from admonition to suspension and disbarment. The Critical Distinction The distinction between these two bodies is not merely academic, it is fundamental to the proper administration of justice in the legal profession. The LPPC is primarily a conferring and privilege-regulating body. The LPDC is the disciplinary body par excellence. While the LPPC may have incidental disciplinary powers over SAN holders, these powers cannot supplant or pre-empt the primary disciplinary jurisdiction of the LPDC. When the same issues are pending before both bodies, as they are in chief Ozekhome’s case, the LPDC’s determination on professional misconduct must logically precede any disciplinary sanction from the LPPC. The LPPC cannot independently determine facts of professional misconduct that are the exclusive province of the LPDC. The Hasty Decision: A Premature Verdict The LPPC’s decision to suspend chief Ozekhome from the rank of SAN pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings is, with respect, a hasty and premature verdict that suffers from several fundamental flaws. Procedural Impropriety ...