The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared unconstitutional the enforcement of a three-year suspension imposed on Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief J-K Gadzama, by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC.
Justice Umar Mohammed, in a judgment delivered on Monday, held that the LPDC Direction issued on July 29, 2026, in the case of Chris Alashi v. Ocha P. Ulegede and another, could not be enforced against Gadzama in the absence of an effective appellate mechanism.
The court ruled that enforcing the disciplinary decision without such a mechanism was inconsistent with Sections 36(1), 36(2) and 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Justice Mohammed also held that the LPDC lacked jurisdiction in the matter as it related to Gadzama, thereby rendering the disciplinary decision against him unenforceable.
Consequently, the court restrained the respondents from implementing, publishing, transmitting or otherwise giving effect to the LPDC Direction against the senior lawyer.
The court also barred the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court from making any disciplinary notation against Gadzama based on the LPDC decision or treating its publication as a final disciplinary determination.
The respondents in the suit are the Body of Benchers, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Chris Alashi.
The dispute stemmed from disagreements over legal representation and professional fees arising from the Zaki-Biam litigation in Benue State.
Gadzama had maintained that he was never professionally retained by Alashi, the complainant before the LPDC, insisting instead that he was separately instructed by some of the judgment creditors through written letters of engagement.
The LPDC had subsequently suspended Gadzama from legal practice for three years and another lawyer, Ocha P. Ulegede, for two years over the complaint.
Gadzama challenged the decision before the Federal High Court, arguing that the disciplinary proceedings had misconstrued the nature of the dispute, which he maintained was principally about representation, retainership and professional fees.
The court's latest ruling effectively restrains the implementation of the three-year suspension and underscores the constitutional requirement for an effective mechanism through which disciplinary decisions affecting legal practitioners can be challenged.
The Zaki-Biam litigation arose from a 2001 military operation in Benue State. Survivors later sued the Federal Government, with a 2007 judgment awarding ₦41.8 billion in compensation before an out-of-court settlement of ₦8 billion was subsequently negotiated.
