A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Bolaji Ayorinde has threatened to sue Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) due to an alleged defamatory publication against the Nigerian Law Society (NLS),

The CAC claims that the NLS, a professional society of lawyers under the chairmanship of Ayorinde, is not registered.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which represents Nigerian solicitors collectively, is likewise allegedly opposed to the NLS’s formation.

The Registrar General of the CAC had written the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, a letter requesting permission to prosecute the Nigerian Law Society and other corporate bodies that are operating in the nation without proper registration.

Ayorinde stated that he was the first plaintiff in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/482/2023 between Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, OFR & 5 Others V. Corporate Affairs Commission, which was determined on December 15, 2023, in a letter dated August 12 and accepted by the CAC on August 16.

He claimed that the CAC had disregarded the court’s order to register the NLS.

The letter partly read: “In the said judgment, the Honourable Court clearly granted all the Plaintiff’s claims and specifically directed your Commission to register the Nigerian Law Society.

“Your Commission has failed, refused and or neglected to obey the judgment of the Federal High Court and whose judgment remains extant even though you have filed an appeal on record. It is also noted that despite filing the same appeal, you have not secured any order to stay the direction in the judgment.”

Ayorinde claimed that by “deliberately” omitting to mention or hint at the existence of the ruling in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/482/2023, the CAC Registrar General had misled the public.

Ayorinde emphasised that the accusations levelled by the CAC against the NLS are unfounded, misleading, and incorrect.

Culled From The Whistle