BY BRIDGET EDOKWE
An Abuja based Legal Practitioner, Victor Ikem Agugoesi Esq has submitted a damning petition to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee against Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, for bringing the noble profession to disrepute.
Dr. West-Idahosa was among senior lawyers being considered for elevation to the highest rank in the Nigerian Legal Profession, The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Reacting to a notice on DailyTrust Newspaper of September 24 2020, where Nigerians were called upon to forward comments on the Integrity, reputation and competence of those being considered for the prestigious rank, Mr Agugoesi forward a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is the Chairman of the LPPC, and listed reasons why Dr West-Idahosa was not suitable for such elevation.
The Lawyer accused Dr West-Idahosa of leading litigation as counsel for and against the same client, Adams Oshiomhole, on the same subject matter and before the same court, The Federal High Court, in the case of Bishop Osadolor Ochei vs. EFCC & Oshiomhole with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2018.
In the case, Dr. West-Idahosa was counsel for a party suing against Mr Oshiomhole in respect of a fraud case which included allegations of contract inflation in respect of the cost of the Edo Specialist Hospital Project and When Adams Oshiomhole sued the AG Edo state and others before Federal High Court Abuja on the same subject matter, Mr West-Idahosa miraculously appeared for Mr Oshiomhole not withstanding that he prosecuted the case that resulted in the Abuja case.
According to Mr Agugoesi, Dr. West-Idohosa succeeded in getting an ex-Parte for Mr Oshiomhole thereby acting for both the prosecution and defendant in the same case, with the same facts, by the same parties but different Judges.
The Petitioner described the act of Dr West-Idahosa as gravely offending the Rules of Professional Conducts for Legal Practitioners on conflict of interest and duty of counsel to disclose same.
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