An Abuja Federal High Court is set to deliver judgment on the controversial Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, which the promoters introduced as an alternative to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in the legal profession in Nigeria.
Judgment in the case is set to be delivered on April 2, 2026.
The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, had introduced the Blue Silk rank for non-litigation lawyers in Nigeria as alternative to the SAN title which is conferred on legal practitioners adjudged to have demonstrated exceptional distinction in legal practice.
The SAN rank, conferred on lawyers by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, is seen as the most prestigious honour in the legal profession in Nigeria.
But ALDRAP’s move to introduce an alternative to the SAN rank for non-litigation lawyers with the Blue Silks, which includes titles such as Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, and Senior Legal Academic, SLA, has been opposed by stakeholders in the legal profession, particularly the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Following the announcement of the introduction of the Blue Silks rank, the NBA took the promoters, ALDRAP and its Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, to court, arguing that their action is a violation of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962. The NBA also threatened to drag the members of the association, ALDRAP, before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC.
The LPDC is the body that investigates and sanctions lawyers accused of misconduct.
Following the NBA’s action, the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, and its executive secretary, Jaja, as applicants, approached the Abuja Federal High Court with a fundamental rights enforcement suit, seeking protection against the sanctions threatened by the NBA.
In the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/421/ 2026, the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr Omobolaji Ojibara, Mr Kabir Eniola Akanbi (Secretary of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC), the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, and Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, LPDC, were listed as the 1st to 5th respondents.
The applicants are asking the court for an order enforcing their fundamental rights, in accordance with sections 36(1), 40 and 46(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Ratification and Enforcement Act, Chapter A9, LFN, 2004.
ALDRAP and Jaja also want the court to declare that the action of the NBA and the other respondents is unlawful and amounts to a breach of their rights to fair hearing and freedom of assembly and association, protected by Section 40 of the Nigerian constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
The court is also asked to make an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from dragging the applicants before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee on the grounds of the Blue Silks rank.
The applicants, in the same vein, have asked the court to order the respondents to pay them the sum of N50 million as compensation for the breach of their fundamental rights. They also asked the court to order the respondents to issue a public apology for violating their fundamental rights.
Stating the grounds for seeking the reliefs, the applicants, in the suit filed by their lawyer, S. O Abang, Esq, argued that as the Blue Silks rank was not mentioned in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962, it is not within the regulatory power of the respondents.
They averred that the respondents acted unlawfully when, on 12th February 2026, without asking to hear from the applicants, released a statement that read: “The LPPC views the actions of legal practitioners involved in the establishment of such purported ranks, as well as individuals who present or parade themselves as “Blue Silks” as conduct that may amount to violations of the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.”
In arguing they have the right to introduce the Blue Silks rank, the applicants are relying heavily on the verdict delivered by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court on 27th January 2026. The copy of the judgment was attached as a further affidavit in the suit.
The judgment, delivered in a suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1238/2025 – Victor Ozioma Nwadike versus Nigerian Bar Association, General Council of the Bar, and the Attorney General of the Federation – reportedly stemmed from an alleged attempt by the NBA to impose an additional pre-requisite requirement for renewal of annual practicising licence for Nigerian lawyers.
The judgment stated that the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962, is the principal legislation regulating legal practice in the country, and that the NBA lacks the statutory power to impose additional requirements not contained in the legislation (Legal Practitioners Act, 1962).
Specifically, the judgment made an order nullifying and setting aside the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023, and the NBA Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Rules, 2025, in so far as they seek to add to, alter or vary provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.
Relying on the judgment, the promoters of the Blue Silks rank are arguing that since it (Blue Silks rank) is not contained in the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962, the NBA has no powers over it.
“The judgment of 27th January 2026 delivered by Hon. Justice Mohammed Garba Umar clearly stated that neither the LPDC nor any of the defendants can regulate any Nigerian lawyer on any matter that is not listed inside the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.
“This is the reason why the applicants have come to the Federal High Court Abuja to seek protection,” Jaja stated.
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