The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has shortlisted an Ilorin-born Legal Luminary, Prof. Ibrahim Abikan Abdulqadir together with Sagir Gezawa Suleiman, Mas’ud Mobolaji Alabelewe and 75 other lawyers, alongside Prof. Ahmed Rabiu with 9 other academics, for the conferment of the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2026.
Professor Ibrahim Abikan Abdulqadir is a distinguished Nigerian academic, legal practitioner, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).
It was gathered that the shortlist was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Secretary of the LPPC and Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Kabir Eniola Akanbi, following the completion of key stages of the selection process.
According to the committee, the shortlisted candidates successfully passed the Advocate Filtration Exercises, Academic Filtration Exercise, Independent Appeals Hearing and Office Inspection Exercise, qualifying them for the interview stage of the SAN conferment process.
Among those shortlisted in the advocates’ category are Jude Chukwuemeka Okafor, Godwill Achebong Umoheso, Sunday Samuel Obende, Adebayo Olugbenga Adaralegbe, Jimson Ejovi Okodaso, Sagir Gezawa Suleiman, Mas’ud Mobolaji Alabelewe, Aisha Ado Abdullahi, Faruk Abdullahi, Mohammed El-Hassan Sheriff, Junaidu Bello Marshall and several others.
In the academic category, the committee shortlisted 12 professors, including Prof. John Alewo Musa Agbonika, Prof. Najeem Adeyemi Ijaiya, Prof. Nnamdi Onyeka Obiaraeri, Prof. Nathaniel Ahabue Inegbedion, Prof. Akkarren Samuel Shaakaa, Prof. Olusesan Luqaid Oliyide, Prof. Violet Omon Aigbokhaevbo, Prof. Emmanuel Ayangarumun Kenen, Prof. Collins Obioma Chijioke, Prof. Ahmed Rabiu, Prof. Ibrahim Abikan Abdulqadir and Prof. Omoniyi Bukola Akinola.
The LPPC invited members of the public to submit comments on the integrity, reputation and competence of the shortlisted applicants.
It stated that any complaint must be accompanied by a verifying affidavit sworn before a Superior Court of Record in Nigeria or made before a Notary Public.
The committee added that such complaints must be submitted in 20 copies to the office of the Secretary of the LPPC not later than 4 p.m. on July 15, 2026, or sent through the committee’s official email address.
The committee, however, emphasised that the publication of the shortlisted names does not amount to a successful application, noting that all candidates must still undergo interviews before final decisions are made.
The SAN rank is the highest professional distinction for legal practitioners in Nigeria and is awarded annually to lawyers and academics who have demonstrated outstanding excellence and contributions to the development of the legal profession.
