From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Labour Party’s (LP) Abure-Led National Working Committee (NWC) has filed a complaint against Monday Mawah, Lamidi Apapa’s attorney, for allegedly causing deliberate harm to the party’s reputation by disseminating false information through a variety of online forums.
This was disclosed by the party’s National Publicity secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
In the petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LP accused Mawah of misconstruing the appeal court decision from August 24, 2023, by saying that the court had endorsed the Lamidi-led candidate for the upcoming Imo State election.
It therefore, prayed the Committee to immediately commence the process of disciplining the lawyer for violation of the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
A copy of the document read in parts: “The said Mr. Monday Mawah falsely stated in an interview that the Court of Appeal had upheld the decision of the trial court, which the court never did.
“This utter falsehood as openly stated on live television by the said Mr. Monday Mawah was contrary to the decisions of the Honourable Court in its judgments in the appeals. In the Basil Maduka’s appeal, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja dismissed the appeal simplicita and held that the Appellant had no locus standi to institute the proceedings.
“In the Labour Party’s appeal, the Court held that the appeal was not necessary as the decision of the trial court was in its favour and that the mere comments of the trial judge in its judgment did not consist of an appealable decision and should be discountenanced.
“In none of the 2 appeals did the Honourable Court proclaim the Orders that the said Mr. Monday Mawa had gone to town with and had impetuously proclaimed on live television to the whole world.
“Sir, it is quite unbecoming that a lawyer of Monday Mawah’s apparent ripe years at the bar should be allowed to continue to practice as a legal practitioner in Nigeria after putting out such riotous lies, which has now had the far-reaching ripple effect of painting the judiciary as a confused institution.
By his conduct, Mr. Monday Mawah contravened Part IV and V of the Rules of Professional Conduct which deals with a Lawyer’s Relations with the court and improper attraction of business.
“We call on the Committee to immediately commence the process of disciplining Mr. Monday Mawah for infamous conduct infringing on the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct, to wit; Part V( Relations with Court) and Part IV (Improper attraction of business), especially Rules 31( Duty of lawyer to court and conduct in court); 32 (candid and fair dealing), 33 (trial publicity), 39 (Advertising and soliciting) and 47 (Instigating controversy and litigation).
“Lawyers like Mr. Monday Mawah pose a grave threat to the bar and the bench in a society of impressionable and gullible laymen like Nigeria. He should be disciplined lest innocent Nigerians begin to take his words with more than a pinch of salt.”