Despite being disbarred, Senator Imasuen allegedly moved to Nigeria and continued to pose as a lawyer while entering politics, according to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
Currently on suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has formally petitioned the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to have Senator Nedamwen Bernards Imasuen removed from the Nigerian Bar. Senator Imasuen was previously disbarred from the New York Bar for fraud, theft of client funds, and failure to answer to disciplinary authorities, according to the petition, which is based on accusations of professional misconduct. The petition claims that on May 10, 2010, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, permanently disbarred Senator Imasuen after a client named Daphne Slyfield filed a complaint accusing him of embezzling legal fees.
His U.S. law license was revoked after the court found him guilty of several violations of professional conduct. Despite being disbarred, Senator Imasuen allegedly moved to Nigeria and continued to pose as a lawyer while entering politics, according to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. In the end, he was chosen to serve as the senator for the Edo South Senatorial District and held the position of Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which calls for unwavering moral character.
The petition further claimed that before running for public office, Senator Imasuen submitted a FORM EC-9 – Particulars of Personal Information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but neglected to mention his disbarment. Following Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month Senate ban, which she alleges was planned by Senator Imasuen against a court order, the lawsuit was filed.
Under the direction of Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwatu, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an interim order on March 4, 2025, prohibiting the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from looking into her for alleged misconduct during a Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025. She was suspended on March 6, 2025, when Senator Imasuen and his committee continued the probe even after being served with the court order on March 5, 2025. Citing Rule 31 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (2023), which requires attorneys to always treat the court with respect, dignity, and honor, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan characterized Senator Imasuen’s acts as contempt of court in her appeal.
She also accused him of procedural bias, claiming that he actively pursued disciplinary action against her while dismissing her petition alleging sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio on procedural grounds. According to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator Imasuen’s actions constitute professional misconduct under Rule 74(1) of the RPC, 2023, and his disobedience of an existing court order and unethical conduct violate Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct (2023), which requires lawyers to maintain high professional standards and uphold the rule of law.
The case is anticipated to generate intense legal and political discussion as the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee begins reviewing the petition, especially with reference to the moral duties of public servants who are also attorneys.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
