Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria over the planned conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Kwara State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sulyman Ibrahim.
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria also serves as Chairman of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, the body responsible for conferring the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on qualified legal practitioners.
In the petition dated May 2026 and reportedly seen by TheCable, Saraki urged the CJN and the LPPC to scrutinise Ibrahim’s suitability for the rank, alleging that his official conduct fell below the standard of integrity, honour and professional ethics expected of a legal practitioner seeking elevation to the Inner Bar.
Saraki accused the Kwara Attorney-General of bringing the legal profession into disrepute by allegedly preferring, or causing to be preferred, charges which he claimed had no legal basis and were designed as a political weapon against him.
The former Kwara State governor said his petition was based on two major grounds: alleged malicious prosecution and abuse of constitutional powers, as well as what he described as a frivolous Penal Code charge and violation of due process.
Saraki alleged that despite being cleared by the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation in relation to the 2018 Offa bank robbery, Ibrahim filed criminal charges against him and two others.
He claimed the charges were deliberately timed to cause him public embarrassment, reputational damage and political harm.
According to him, before the charge was filed, he was neither invited by the police for questioning nor confronted with any allegation.
“Crucially, prior to the filing of this charge, I was neither invited by the police for questioning nor confronted with any allegations whatsoever,” Saraki stated in the petition.
He said he only became aware of the proceedings when court processes were pasted on the gate of his residence in Ilorin, directing him to appear in court on June 10, 2026.
Saraki urged the LPPC to consider what he described as Ibrahim’s alleged abuse of power before conferring the rank of SAN on him.
“The rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria is reserved exclusively for legal practitioners who have demonstrated exemplary character, absolute fidelity to the rule of law, and an unyielding commitment to the due administration of justice,” he said.
He added that the rank should not be conferred on a legal practitioner who allegedly uses state prosecutorial machinery for personal or political vendetta.
Saraki further alleged that by weaponising the criminal justice system for ulterior motives, Ibrahim had shown that he lacked the fairness, restraint and ministerial integrity expected of a public prosecutor and legal officer.
The former Senate President also reportedly deposed to an affidavit before the Kwara State High Court in support of the petition.
In April, the Kwara State Government filed a 20-count charge against Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over allegations connected to the arming of suspects convicted in the 2018 Offa bank robbery.
Other defendants listed in the charge include Yusuf Abdulwahab, a former Chief of Staff to Ahmed, and Alabi Olalekan, another aide.
The petition comes as the LPPC recently shortlisted 89 applicants for possible conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Saraki’s allegations remain claims contained in his petition, and there is no indication that the LPPC has reached a decision on the matter.
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