Legal Affairs
Disrobement: Okey Udah’s application for stay of execution is inconsequential, lawyer tells Umuoji chieftain
Lawyers from J-P Agbo & Associates, representing Chief Mmaduabuchi Okafor and others, has urged traditional rulers of Umuoji in Idemili North Local Government Area Anambra State, otherwise known as “Ndi Ichie Ireh of Umuoji”, to ignore the request of Chief Vincent Okey Udah against expulsion from Igwe’s cabinet, saying that his application for stay of execution at the Supreme Court is inconsequential and of no effect to the matter in question.
The lawyers made the remarks in a letter dated 4th October, 2023, signed by the principal partner for J-P Agbo & Associates, Johnson Pius Agbo Esq., and addressed to the Secretary of Ndi Ichie Ireh, Umuoji.
The remarks were made after it was discovered that Okey Udah was trying to hoodwink the Ndi Ichie Igwe in Council Umuoji with the notion that he has appealed the decision of the Body of Benchers that sat at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) that ordered that he be disrobed and barred from practicing as a lawyer in Nigeria.
Chief Udah was indicted on September 4, 2023, as the Tribunal vehemently tongue lashed him for fraud and dishonest dispositions.
The said tribunal amongst others made it abundantly clear that Chief Udah is not a fit and proper person to engage in practice of law in Nigeria, thus his name was recommended to be removed from the list of legal practitioners domiciled at the Supreme Court in Abuja, Nigeria.
His name was, therefore, struck out of the register of legal practitioners, meaning that he is presently disrobed.
Meanwhile, Okey Udah had earlier been disrobed as lawyer in the United Kingdom for fraud.
Udah was arraigned as a solicitor practising as Okey Udah & Co before England and Wales High Court (Chancery Division) in a case “The Law Society of England and Wales v Habitable Concepts Ltd & Anor” in 2010, where it was proved that between 6 November 2007 and 27 November 2007, he committed “large-scale mortgage fraud” to the tune of £5,779,166, after which “Udah fled and has never been located”.
The court judgement, wherein it was held that one Mr. Onyekechi Onuiri dishonestly assisted in a breach of trust by Okey Udah’s law firm, Okey Udah & Co, was signed by Mr. Justice Norris, dated 21 June 2010.
The Ireh Village chieftains followed up by requesting of Ndi Ichie Igwe in Council Umuoji to remove him from representing the village as he is not morally sound to continue to represent them at the Igwe’s cabinet.
News Band, however, learnt that Okey Udah informed the traditional chieftains that his expulsion from Igwe’s cabinet cannot take effect as he has appealed the Disciplinary Committee’s decision at the Supreme.
He also claimed that the effectiveness of all LPDC decisions is pending while his appeal subsists at the apex court, hence the decision of the traditional chieftains must also be kept in abeyance.
Consequently, Chief Okafor and other concerned indigenes of Ire Village in Umuoji approached the lawyers for interpretation of the judgement as well as its consequences.
Reacting, Barrister Agbo noted that “once a Disciplinary Committee is set up to hear and determine such complaint and delivered Direction/Judgment, it cannot entertain any other application such as Application for Stay of Execution and any other applications in respect of the Complaint”.
He added that the Disciplinary Committee does not operate as a conventional Court which may entertain any other post judgment application such as Stay of Execution.
“Even though Appeal may be lodged against the Direction/Judgment of the Honuorable Disciplinary Committee at the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court but it does not serve as a Stay of Execution.
“The Direction/Judgment of the Disciplinary Committee is a declarative Judgment which took effect immediately it was pronounced and cannot be stayed by the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court of Nigeria except expressly ordered,” Agbo said.
According to him, the effect of the judgment is that “Okey Udah shall not hold any elective or non-elective political appointment in Nigeria and in diaspora even prestigious title like Chieftaincy”.
He concluded by warning Ndi Ichie Ireh, Umuoji, that a person convicted by LPDC “for professional misconduct for reason of fraud, crime, misappropriation of funds etc. committed shall not hold any elective, non-elective and Chieftaincy position in Nigeria in accordance with our constitution“. (Emphasis ours)
See details of the letter written by J-P Agbo & Associates and addressed to Ndi Ichie Ireh, a copy of which was obtained by News Band, below:
Dear Sir,
Legal Implication, Consequencies And Effect RE: Complaint No: BB/LPDC/389/2020, Chief Mmaduabuchi Okafor & Anor vs Chief Okey Udah
Introduction
We are solicitors to Chief Francis Mmaduabuchi Okafor, Ichie Nwachinemelu of Ireh Village of Umuoji, Anambra State (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”) on whose behalf and instructions, we write to you.
Background Fact:
Upon the Application filed by our client as representative of Ireh Community in Umuoji Anambra State at Legal Practitioners disciplinary committee Holden at Abuja against Chief Okey Udah for Fraud/stealing, misappropriation of Ireh Community funds and selling and converting Ireh Community land to his own personal gain. Disciplinary Committee of Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee was set up Chaired by Hon. Justice (DR) !shag Bello (O.F.R), Hon Justice Aisha Bashir Aliyu (C.J. Nasarawa) Member, Ahmed Mustapha Goniri Esq Member, Ebenezer Obeya Esq member and Obafemi Adewale Esq., SAN, Member. The Committee commenced hearing on the Petition/Complaint filed by our client, after the conclusion of the full trial found the Respondent guilty of professional misconduct, fraud and ordered that his name be struck out from the Roll of the legal practitioners in Nigeria on the 41″ September, 2023.
The Legal Implication and Consequences Of The Direction/Judgment
After robust and comprehensive hearing, the Committee found that “Vincent Okey Udah is a man with questionable character and had committed offence bothering on fraud, crime and dishonesty by way of his practice leading to his law firm being shut down in UK”.
The Honourable Committee ordered that “Vincent Okey Udah is a person unfit to continue to practice as a solicitor and advocate in Nigeria by reason of infamous conduct unbecoming of a lawyer and also direct that the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria do strike off and remove the name of the Vincent Okey Udah from the Roll of Legal Practitioners domiciled in the Supreme Court and Respondent should desist from practicing or holding himself out as a solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria forthwith”.
This verdict is a testament that the Vincent Okey Udah is a person of questionable character who is unfit to hold any prestigious position in any part of Nigeria. He cannot be elected in any public office or better still coronate with any prestigious chieftaincy title. He is being classify as a fraudulent person both in Nigeria and diaspora with the verifiable evidence by the erudite and Honourable Juris and Honourable Disciplinary Committee Members of the LPDC.
Rule 24 of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Rules 2020 state that where the Committee has made finding based solely upon a judgment or direction or proceedings, certificate of conviction for a criminal offence or any other judgment cannot be set aside until such judgment or direction or proceedings is quashed by the Appellate Court.
Stay Of Execution And Effect Thereof
The Honourable Committee is a Professional Disciplinary Committee who is saddled with responsibility to discipline a person found to have committed fraud, crime, dishonesty in his professional career and unfit to continue to enjoy a privilege to practice as a solicitor and advocate of Supreme Court of Nigeria. Once a Disciplinary Committee is set up to hear and determine such complaint and delivered Direction/Judgment, it cannot entertain any other application such as Application for Stay of Execution and any other applications in respect of the Complaint.
The Disciplinary Committee does not operate as a conventional Court which may entertain any other post judgment application such as Stay of Execution. Even though Appeal may be lodged against the Direction/ Judgment of the Honuorable Disciplinary Committee at the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court but it does not serve as a Stay of Execution.
The Direction/Judgment of the Disciplinary Committee is a declarative Judgment which took effect immediately it was pronounced and cannot be stayed by the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court of Nigeria except expressly ordered.
Appeal cannot be entered at the Appellate Court except the records of proceedings of the Disciplinary Committee of LPDC has been transmitted at the Appellate Court. We have verifiable informed that Respondent (Vincent Okey Udah) has not compiled Records of Appeal from the LPDC talk more of entering appeal against the Direction/Judgment of the Disciplinary Committee at the Appellate Court (Supreme Court).
Section 17 of the Court of Appeal Act and Section 24 of the Supreme Court Act are in the same pedestal that Notice of Appeal shall not operate as a Stay of Execution. Section 24 of the Supreme Court Act state that An appeal under this part shall not operate as a stay of execution but the Supreme Court may order a stay of execution either conditionally or upon the performance of such conditions as may be imposed in accordance with the Rules of Court”.
This position of law was also adopted in the Supreme Court case of Nigerian Agricultural Co-operative Bank Ltd Vs Mr Lewechi Ozoemelam (2016) LUR-SC, Supreme Court held that the Notice of Appeal shall not operate as a Stay of Execution except such order was made by the court.
It is a trite law and also established principle of law that mere filing of a Notice of Appeal shall not operate as a Stay of Execution.
EFFECT:
The effect of this Direction/Judgment is that Vincent Okey Udah shall not hold any elective or non-elective political appointment in Nigeria and in diaspora even prestigious title like Chieftaincy and so on. If still accord any title or hold any title whatsoever it is against our 1999 Constitution as (amended) that any person convicted for fraud, crime by any Court or tribunal shall not hold any position in Nigeria.
CONCLUSION:
The Honourable Committee of Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Direction/Judgment is a declarative judgment which becomes operative once is pronounced and cannot be stayed by any court even Supreme Court. That Notice of Appeal shall not operate as a Stay of Execution except it was expressly ordered by the Appellate Court. A person being convicted for professional misconduct for reason of fraud, crime, misappropriation of funds etc. committed shall not hold any elective, non- elective and Chieftaincy position in Nigeria in accordance with our constitution.
This epistle shall serve as a guide and true position of law in respect of the subject matter above.
—
©Copyright 2023 News Band
(Click here for News Band updates via WhatsApp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to elstimmy@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook.)
Continue Reading
Relatives of the 13 wedding guests killed in Plateau State have condemned the State High Court’s decision to release 20 suspects on bail.
The victims were brutally murdered on June 12, 2025, when a mob attacked their bus in Mangun district, Mangu Local Government Area.
They were traveling from Kaduna State to attend a wedding in Qua’an Pan LGA before tragedy struck.
According to reports, the group lost their way and entered a volatile community already shaken by recent terrorist activity.
Local youths allegedly mistook them for bandits and launched a deadly assault, leaving 13 people dead on the spot.
Following the killings, security operatives arrested 21 suspects.
In an earlier court sitting, 20 of them were remanded at the Jos Correctional Center while investigations continued.
However, on Wednesday, August 20, Justice Nafisa Lawal Musa granted bail after a motion filed by defence counsel, Garba Pwul (SAN).
This ruling has triggered outrage among the families of the victims, who insist the development is a slap in the face of justice.
Mallam Abdullahi Tahir Balami, a relative of one of the deceased, condemned the court’s action.
Speaking to reporters, he described the ruling as suspicious and raised concerns about possible foul play.
“With this development, we are now questioning the commitment of the Plateau State government to justice,” Balami said.
“It is saddening that suspects in a multiple homicide case can be released on bail.”
Another relative, Mallam Ubale Anguwar Dantsoho, who lost several family members, also expressed anger.
He described the decision as shocking and warned that justice may never be served.
“How can suspects in a murder case be granted bail?” he asked. “It shows that our system is failing us.”
Maryam Usman, widow of the driver killed in the massacre, expressed her heartbreak.
She said she struggled to understand why suspects linked to such a crime would be freed.
“What kind of court is this?” she asked in despair. “Instead of justice, the court dashed our hopes. We no longer believe justice will come.”
Her words echoed the feelings of many families now convinced that the judiciary has abandoned them.
Human rights activists are also calling for urgent intervention from both the state and federal governments to ensure accountability.
The Plateau killings have become one of the most disturbing tragedies in recent months.
The case now highlights the growing tension between grieving families and a judicial system accused of ignoring victims.
The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has upheld the Federal High Court’s decision dismissing former Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle’s challenge over the confiscation of over 40 official vehicles seized from his residence after he left office in 2023.
Delivering its unanimous verdict on August 8, 2025, a three-member panel led by Justice A.M. Talba ruled that Matawalle failed to provide credible evidence proving personal ownership of the vehicles.
The court emphasized that the vehicles were government property, not private assets, and rejected his claim that the seizure violated his fundamental property rights.
According to Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal’s spokesman, Sulaiman Idris, the vehicles were recovered in June 2023 after Matawalle and his deputy ignored a five-day ultimatum to return them.
Following their refusal, the state government sought and obtained a court order, enabling police operatives to raid Matawalle’s residence and recover the vehicles.
Initially, Matawalle secured an interim ruling from the Federal High Court in Gusau for the vehicles to be returned to him.
He also filed a separate suit claiming the confiscation breached his fundamental rights.
However, the case was transferred to the Sokoto division of the Federal High Court, which dismissed his claims in December 2023, affirming that the vehicles remained state property.
Dissatisfied with the lower court’s ruling, Matawalle escalated the matter to the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court, however, upheld the Federal High Court’s decision, affirming that the police acted lawfully in investigating the alleged misappropriation and that the state government followed due process in retrieving the vehicles.
The court concluded that Matawalle’s claims lacked merit and could not shield him from investigation or potential prosecution.
The leadership crisis tearing the Labour Party apart appears to have reached a turning point as the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, struck out Julius Abure’s case against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), officially affirming that he is no longer the party’s National Chairman.
The court, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1523/2025, dismissed Abure’s suit due to a lack of jurisdiction, aligning with the Supreme Court’s earlier verdict on April 4, 2025 (Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025), which voided all prior recognitions of his leadership.
However, while speaking on the judgment, Senator Nenadi Usman, the party’s Interim National Chairman, described the ruling as a clear victory for the rule of law.
“This decision removes every lingering doubt about Abure’s status. The chapter is closed. It’s time to put distractions behind us and rebuild the Labour Party into the disciplined, people-centred movement Nigerians deserve”, she said.
Also, INEC’s counter-affidavit in the case further solidified the court’s position, stressing that Abure’s tenure, along with that of the National Executive Committee, had expired in June 2024.
The commission also argued that the controversial March 27, 2024 “Nnewi National Convention” was invalid as it violated the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, INEC guidelines, and the Labour Party’s own constitution.
Senator Usman commended the electoral commission for its “clarity, courage, and institutional integrity” in presenting the facts and urged party members to “respect the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the courts.”
With bye-elections on the horizon and the 2027 general elections in sight, this ruling could mark the end of a year-long factional battle that has plagued the party.
The focus now shifts to uniting the Labour Party and preparing for the political challenges ahead.
On August 8, 2025, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, upheld NNPC Ltd.’s appeal against the Federal High Court’s April 2023 judgement that annulled Senator Ifeanyi Araraume’s removal as non-executive Chairman of the NNPC Board and awarded him ₦5 billion in damages.
The Court of Appeal’s judgement spares NNPC Ltd a massive financial payout and removes a legal risk that could have invalidated all decisions of the Board since 2021.
The Appeal Court agreed to NNPC Ltd.’s position that the Federal High Court’s earlier decision was delivered in error, noting amongst others, that the claim was statute-barred.
This decision of the Court of Appeal secures governance stability for NNPC Ltd., sets a corporate governance precedent in Nigerian law, and upholds the validity of Board resolutions critical to the oil and gas industry’s investment and policy direction.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday cleared Miss Comfort Emmason of all charges related to unruly behavior and assaulting the flight crew aboard an Ibom Air flight from Uyo to Lagos.
Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami struck out the five-count charge following the withdrawal of the case by the police prosecution team.
During the hearing, prosecutor Oluwabunmi Adeitan informed the court of new developments that led to the decision to discontinue the case.
She submitted a formal application for its withdrawal, which the court accepted, effectively bringing the matter to a close.
-
Featured4 days agoYour Attacks on Peter Obi Are Petty, Stop It! Chekwas Rebukes Soludo
-
News4 days agoTension in Anambra community as senior police officer shoots kinsman dead
Colleagues, others try cover-up; victim's family fights back
-
News7 days agoAnambra South Bye-Election: APC Chief Rescues Deputy Gov Caught In Vote Buying From Angry Youths
By Chuks Collins, Awka
-
Celebrity/Entertainment1 day agoHow Nigerian TikToker Geh Geh Made ₦45 Million in One Night
-
News5 days agoNigerian visa applicants must provide 5-yr social media history — US embassy
-
Analysis6 days agoSystemic Sabotage: How APC, INEC Colluded To Undermine Amamgbo’s Senatorial Bid
By Arthur Ezechukwu
-
News3 days agoTerrorist Organisation: APC, PDP Members in US, UK, France Risk Deportation
-
Celebrity/Entertainment5 days agoWhy single mothers can’t raise boys into proper men — Jim Iyke
-
News7 days agoBREAKING: Troops arrest Nigeria’s most wanted terror kingpin
-
News2 days agoVandal electrocuted while vandalizing Aba power infrastructure