Senator Natasha Files Disbarment Petition At Legal Practitioners Committee Against Senator Imasuen

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, presently nether suspension, has formally filed a petition earlier the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, seeking the disbarment of Senator Nedamwen Bernards Imasuen from the Nigerian Bar. 

The petition, grounded connected allegations of nonrecreational misconduct, claims that Senator Imasuen was antecedently disbarred from the New York Bar for fraud, misappropriation of lawsuit funds, and nonaccomplishment to respond to disciplinary authorities.

According to the petition, Senator Imasuen was permanently disbarred by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, connected May 10, 2010, pursuing a ailment by Daphne Slyfield, a lawsuit who accused him of misappropriating ineligible fees. 

The tribunal recovered him blameworthy of aggregate breaches of nonrecreational conduct, starring to the revocation of his ineligible licence successful the United States.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that, contempt his disbarment, Senator Imasuen relocated to Nigeria and continued presenting himself arsenic a ineligible practitioner portion venturing into politics. 

He was yet elected arsenic the Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District and appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee connected Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, a relation requiring unimpeachable integrity.

The petition further stated that Senator Imasuen failed to disclose his disbarment successful his FORM EC-9 – Particulars of Personal Information submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earlier contesting for nationalist office. 

The ineligible enactment comes successful the aftermath of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate, which she claims was orchestrated by Senator Imasuen successful defiance of a tribunal order.

On March 4, 2025, the Federal High Court successful Abuja, presided implicit by Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwatu, issued an interim bid restraining the Senate Committee connected Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with an probe against her regarding alleged misconduct during a Senate plenary league connected February 20, 2025. 

Despite being served the tribunal bid connected March 5, 2025, Senator Imasuen and his committee proceeded with the investigation, starring to her suspension connected March 6, 2025.

In her petition, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan described Senator Imasuen’s actions arsenic contempt of court, citing Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (2023), which mandates that lawyers indispensable ever dainty the tribunal with respect, dignity, and honour. 

She further accused him of procedural bias, stating that helium dismissed her petition alleging intersexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio connected procedural grounds, portion actively pursuing disciplinary enactment against her.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that Senator Imasuen’s defiance of a subsisting tribunal bid and his unethical behaviour interruption Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct (2023), which mandates lawyers to uphold the regularisation of instrumentality and support precocious nonrecreational standards. 

She contended that nether Rule 74(1) of the RPC, 2023, Senator Imasuen’s actions represent nonrecreational 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 reappraisal of the petition, the lawsuit is expected to spark important ineligible and governmental debate, peculiarly regarding the ethical obligations of nationalist officials who are besides members of the ineligible profession.