PDP threatens to sue lawyers over unauthorised legal representation in court

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised an alarm alleging that some lawyers without legal briefs and authorisation appear in court periodically to represent the party.

Also, the party said it would not hesitate to take stringent measures following any infractions in this regard.

It even disclosed that the unnamed lawyers had filed court processes on behalf of the party claiming to be duly consulted.

The PDP National Working Committee, NWC, said after thorough deliberation, disapproves and dismisses the legal actions as misleading, questionable and fraudulent in content and purpose of known legal norms and practices.

The spokesperson for the party, Debo Ologunagba said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.

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The party rejected and dissociated itself from such deliberate and concocted acts of external solicitors in any matter whatsoever without appropriate authority.

The PDP apex decision-making body said the fraudulent action was a serious ethical issue bothering professional misconduct.

But the PDP said for the avoidance of doubts, “Article 42 of PDP’s constitution (as amended in 2017) places the exclusive responsibility of conducting litigation, prosecution, and defence of cases on behalf of the party including its organs and officials on the National Legal Adviser of the party.

“Under the PDP Constitution nobody, authority, office or organ other than the National Legal Adviser has the competence to engage external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party. Consequently, Nobody, Authority, Office or Organ other than the National Legal Adviser can engage external solicitors on behalf of the party”.

Contrary to this development, the party national leadership affirmed that the engagement of external solicitors to handle cases on behalf of the party must be in writing under the hand of the National Legal Adviser specifying amongst other things, the nature of the case and other terms and conditions of the engagement.