Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has called for an amendment to the Legal Practitioners Act, warning that lawyers affected by disciplinary decisions must have an effective opportunity to challenge them.
Speaking on behalf of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the Supreme Court’s opening of the 2026/2027 legal year on October 12, 2026, the former Nigerian Bar Association President raised concerns about the appeal arrangements for decisions of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.
According to his address published by TheNigeriaLawyer, Olanipekun said a Supreme Court decision had closed the route for direct appeals from the LPDC to the apex court, while the alternative appeal committee was not in place.
He acknowledged the committee’s authority to conduct disciplinary proceedings but questioned what remedy remained available to lawyers affected by its directions.
Olanipekun urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to address the problem through legislative amendment. He argued that professional accountability must operate alongside safeguards for those seeking to challenge disciplinary sanctions.
In another part of the address, he asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria to intervene over difficulties surrounding applications for leave to appeal at the Court of Appeal.
Olanipekun said such applications were not being heard because of an interpretation attributed to a Supreme Court judgment. He disputed that interpretation and urged the judicial leadership to examine the situation.
He also called for greater consistency in the application of binding precedents, saying improvements at the Supreme Court should extend to the lower courts. Certainty in judicial decisions, he maintained, was essential to public confidence in the justice system. thenigerialawyer.com
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