From Fred Itua, Abuja
Call for investigation into allegation of professional misconduct against a legal practitioner and the deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, George Ogara, intensified, yesterday, as a civil society organisation, Make A Difference Initiative (MADI), called for expedited action.
The group said the call became imperative in view of the imminence of the governorship election in Enugu, which outcome could be influenced by what the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Mbah, described as a malicious lawsuit against him orchestrated by Ogara and filed by another legal practitioner, Ejike Obumneme.
The group, which is renowned for calling out unethical practices, both in the public and private sector in Nigeria, made the call in a statement by the Executive Director, Lemmy Ughegbe.
“We are obligated to call on the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to expedite action in the investigation into the petition filed against APC deputy governorship candidate in Enugu State, Ogara and Obumneme, for malicious use of the judiciary to subvert the will of the people and derail democracy.
“The petition was filed by PDP governorship candidate, Mbah. In the said petition, Mbah had accused Ogara of gross violation of the rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners, by supplying false information to mislead the court and malign him.
“In a separate petition, Mbah also accused Obumneme of filing frivolous and malicious processes based on information which he clearly knew or reasonably ought to know to be false.
“After painstakingly studying the petition and all documents related thereof, MADI is duty bound to call on the LPDC to take urgent steps investigate the claims of professional misconduct against Ogara and Obumneme to safeguard the sanctity of the temple of justice.
“Going by our own investigation of the facts of this case, we find compelling and persuasive grounds why Ogara and Obumneme have questions to answer for alleged professional misconduct
“Fro instance, in the said Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2257/2022, they alleged that Mbah made a plea-bargain and a plea of guilty was entered on his behalf on July 7, 2015 in Charge No. FHC/L/09C/2007 supposedly preferred against him at the Federal High Court, hence he is an ex-convict and ineligible to contest election to the office of governor of Enugu State until after a period of 10 years from July 7, 2015.
“However, a certified true copy of court ruling obtained by our organisation, clearly shows that Mbah did not undergo any trial in the first place, let alone enter into any plea-bargain, as he was discharged from the said suit at the instance of the prosecution (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) about two years before the said plea-bargain of July 7, 2015.”
“As officers in the temple of justice, Ogara and Obumneme are aware of these facts, but choose to peddle this falsehood and use the court processes in utter desecration of the temple and in breach of Rules 1, 15, 24, and 32 of the Rules of Professional Conduct 2007 of the Rules of Professional Conduct 2007.
“We, therefore, call on other patriots and lovers of democracy to prevail on the LPDC to quicken the adjudication of this matter,” the group said.
MADI said it was persuaded by the facts on ground to believe Ogara, who is APC deputy governorship candidate in the same election Mbah is contesting as PDP governorship candidate deliberately orchestrated the malicious lawsuit to gain electoral advantage over Mbah.
“It is, therefore, in the interest of the sanctity of our electoral process and the legal profession that both Ogara and Obumneme do not go scot-free if, indeed, they have breached the rules and ethics of their profession,” MADI said.