The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Ogun State is requesting a refund of the legal fee it paid to Chijioke Emeka (SAN) due to Emeka’s absence from the Court of Appeal hearing in Ibadan.
On Thursday in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, South West Secretary of NNPP Babatunde Oke made the announcement to press.
Oke, speaking on behalf of the party, voiced their displeasure with Emeka’s actions, noting that they dishonor the office of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
According to information obtained by KURYALOADED, Emeka has been retained as lead counsel by the NNPP and its gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general elections in Ogun State, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, in order to pursue their suit at the Appeal Court, Ibadan.
It was revealed that Isaac Dale Izunya, the party’s attorney, was instrumental in the hiring of Emeka.
According to information obtained by DAILY POST, Emeka has been recruited as the lead counsel for the appeal team filing a petition against INEC, Governor Dapo Abiodun, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for failing to include the APC’s name on the ballots used in the March 18 election in the state.
According to the party’s latest allegations, the lead attorney failed to show up to the appeal hearing on July 7.
The opposing party expressed surprise that Emeka did not appear at the Appeal Court after he had already been paid half of his professional legal cost.
The party claims he was responsible for the Appeal Court dismissing their case because he didn’t show up to the hearing.
When he spoke to the media on Thursday in Ibadan, Oke said that the lead attorney had given no reason for his absence from court.
He added, “No cause was offered before and after his failure to show before the Appeal Court; thus, we are calling on NBA and other relevant bodies to discipline Emeka (SAN) for his fraudulent act. Two million naira (N2,000,000) of a two million and five hundred thousand naira (2,500,000) partial payment of the five million (5,000,000) legal fee is being sought from counsel by the party.
KURYALOADED has been trying to reach the attorney since morning with no success.
As of the time this article was filed on Thursday, calls to his cell phone went unanswered, and mails seeking his comment went unanswered.