A legal practitioner, Blessing Agbomhere, has petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) against activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju, accusing him of alleged professional misconduct over comments concerning Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other senior members of the Nigerian Bar.
In the petition, received by the committee on November 2, 2026, Agbomhere accused Adeyanju of making allegedly unsubstantiated, disparaging and intemperate public statements that breached the ethical standards expected of legal practitioners.
He specifically cited Adeyanju’s reported description of Akpabio and other senior lawyers in the National Assembly as political bandits during an interaction with journalists in February 2026.
Agbomhere also accused the activist lawyer of repeatedly referring to Wike as a thief without providing evidence or citing any court conviction to substantiate the allegation.
The petitioner argued that such comments were inconsistent with the standards of civility, decorum, respect for seniority and professional responsibility required of members of the legal profession.
He maintained that while lawyers were entitled to engage in public advocacy and criticise public officials, such activities should not be used to justify personal attacks or allegations capable of undermining the reputation of fellow legal practitioners.
The petition further questioned Adeyanju’s handling of the controversy surrounding sexual harassment allegations made against Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
According to Agbomhere, Adeyanju initially supported the senator’s position and threatened to petition foreign diplomatic missions over the allegations but subsequently urged her to provide evidence or withdraw her claims.
He described the alleged change in position as inconsistent and raised concerns about the lawyer’s professional judgment and public conduct.
To support his complaint, Agbomhere said he submitted newspaper publications and video recordings of Adeyanju’s media engagements as exhibits for the committee’s consideration.
He urged the LPDC to investigate the allegations, arguing that lawyers must exercise restraint and responsibility when making public statements, particularly those concerning other members of the profession.
The petitioner specifically cited alleged violations of Rules 1, 26(1), 26(2) and 27(1) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
He asked the committee to require Adeyanju to respond to the allegations and explain why disciplinary measures should not be imposed if the claims are established.
Agbomhere said the intervention of the disciplinary body was necessary to protect the integrity of the Nigerian Bar, preserve public confidence in the legal profession and ensure that practitioners remain accountable to established ethical standards.
The allegations contained in the petition are yet to be determined by the LPDC. No finding of professional misconduct against Adeyanju has been established by the committee in the information provided.
