Federal High Court restrains enforcement of disciplinary directive against Senior Advocate Joe-Kyari Gadzama, citing constitutional and jurisdictional concerns.
ABUJA — The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared unconstitutional the enforcement of a three-year suspension imposed on Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).
Justice Umar Mohammed, in a judgment delivered on Monday, September 28, 2026, restrained the relevant authorities from implementing, publishing, transmitting or enforcing the LPDC’s July 29, 2026 disciplinary directive against the senior lawyer.
The court held that enforcement of the LPDC’s decision against Gadzama was inconsistent with provisions of the 1999 Constitution, particularly Sections 36(1), 36(2) and 6(6)(b).
The court also questioned the jurisdiction of the LPDC in the circumstances of the case and held that the absence of an effective appellate mechanism raised constitutional concerns regarding the enforcement of the disciplinary decision.
Consequently, the court restrained the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court from making any disciplinary notation against Gadzama based on the LPDC directive or treating it as a final disciplinary determination against him.
The dispute arose from a professional misconduct complaint connected to the Zaki-Biam compensation litigation in Benue State, involving issues relating to legal representation and professional fees.
The LPDC had earlier found Gadzama liable for professional misconduct and imposed a three-year suspension from legal practice. Gadzama challenged the decision, disputing the allegations and the committee’s handling of the matter.
The latest judgment therefore places a legal restraint on the enforcement of the suspension while addressing constitutional and jurisdictional issues surrounding the disciplinary proceedings.
The ruling is expected to fuel further legal debate over the powers of the LPDC, the rights of lawyers facing disciplinary proceedings and the availability of effective avenues of appeal within Nigeria’s legal disciplinary framework.
