A legal practitioner based in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Mr. Adelanke Akinrata, has dragged the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to court over the plan to investigate him on his representation in a case that had earlier been decided by the law court. Apart from LDPC, the fundamental rights enforcement suit also has the governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Hon Olugbenga Edema, as defendant.
In the suit, Akinrata’s is seeking the protection of the court from being questioned by the LPDC in his role in a suit marked FHC/AK/CS/103/2024 between Edema and Independent National Electoral Commission and three others at both the Federal High Court sitting in Akure and Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/AK/PRE/03/2025.
The LPDC has invited Akinrata to defend himself before the panel, in response to the petition filed against him by Hon Edema. The NNPP’s candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State has alleged that Akinrata appeared for both litigants and one of the defendants during the suit challenging the eligibility of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Federal High Court.
The letter, signed by the Secretary, LPDC, reads: “Please find enclosed a copy of the Originating Application against you. By virtue of Rule 10 of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Rules, 2020, you are to submit an affidavit disclosing a defence to the Originating Application on the merits together with all other affidavits and documents that you intend to rely on within 24 days from the date of your receipt of this letter.”
However, Akinrata in his suit filed by A.K Adewusi sought an injunction restraining Edema his agents, privies or servants from further threatening, harassing, victimizing or hindering him or from taking any steps that may obstruct or jeopardize his fundamental rights, his professional duties and responsibilities either generally or in relation to the applicant’s professional conduct in a case/ issue which has been decided to finality in suit No: FHC/AK/CS/103/2024.
Besides, the lawyer is seeking “a perpetual injunction restraining the LPDC, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or otherwise howsoever from further proceeding upon, from taking any further steps in or in any other manner further adjudicating upon the complaint/petition of the first respondent with Number: BB/LPDC/1635/2025 (Hon. Olugbenga Omogbemi Edema v Adelanke Akinrata Esq.) dated the 13″ day of February, 2025 and was received by the second respondent on 18 February, 2025.” Akinrata is also asking for the sum of N100 million as aggravated, punitive, and general damages against Eɗema for the violation and threatened violation of his fundamental rights. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
