Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has petitioned the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), urging it to deny the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Sulyman Ibrahim, the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) over allegations of abusing his office’s prosecutorial powers to pursue politically motivated criminal cases.
In the petition, Mr Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, asked the committee to investigate what he described as Mr Ibrahim’s repeated misuse of prosecutorial powers and to withhold his elevation to the SAN rank pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Mr Saraki’s petition dated 25 May and supported by his affidavit sworn on 9 July, cited two cases of prosecutions he accused Mr Sulyman of launching maliciously against him this year.
One of the cases, according to him, involved alleged “trumped-up” charges the attorney-general instituted against him in April regarding the concluded 2018 Offa, Kwara State, robbery case. In the other case, he said, Mr Ibrahim charged him under the Penal Code for posting on social media that incumbent Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq did not complete his secondary school.
He said the police and the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation investigated, prosecuted and had the suspects in the Offa robbery incident jailed, while also clearing him of any connection to the crime.
“My Lord, since the conclusion of the definitive 2018 investigation, the Nigeria Police Force has neither reopened the case nor conducted any fresh inquiry indicting me or the other co-defendants,” he stated, accusing Mr Ibrahim of deploying “the sacred, constitutional powers of the Office of the Attorney Genera; under section 2111 of the Nigerian constitution “not for the promotion of justice, but a political weapon.”
Regarding his social media post, Mr Saraki said it is unfathomable by any legal interpretation how his remarks about Governor Abdulrazaq’s education could provoke the governor and the Kwara State Government into a breach of peace as alleged in the charges instituted by the attorney-general.
“I state categorically that the attitude, official conduct and apparent professional desperation of the applicant, Senior Sulyman Ibrahim, Esq, (the current Attorney General of Kwara State), completely fall short of the high standard of integrity, honour, and professional ethics,” Mr Saraki wrote in his petition.
“Further, by his conduct, Senior Sulyman Ibrahim, Esq, has brought the Nigerian Bar into disrepute in that he preferred, or caused to be preferred, charges whcih he knows or ought to know have no basis in law and were merely designed as political weapon against me.”
Mr Saraki stated that his petition followed the LPPC’s publication of the list of candidates shortlisted for the 2026 SAN conferment and its invitation to members of the public to submit comments or objections regarding the integrity, professional competence and reputation of the nominees.
Mr Saraki noted that Mr Ibrahim is listed as number 56 on the shortlist.
The LPPC is expected to announce the final list of successful applicants for the SAN rank between July and August, ahead of inauguration during the Supreme Court’s new legal year ceremony in September.
His petition was addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in her capacity as chairman of the LPPC, the statutory body with the power to confer the highly-coveted SAN rank on deserving lawyers called to the bar who have distinguished themselves in law practice or in academics in Nigeria.
The former senate president maintained that the SAN rank is reserved not only for lawyers with outstanding professional accomplishments but also for those who have demonstrated integrity, fairness and the highest ethical standards throughout their careers.
Mr Saraki, who framed his petition as “a solemn duty to protect the integrity, sanctity and honour of the Inner Bar,” argued that Mr Ibrahim’s conduct as attorney general raises serious questions about his suitability for the country’s highest legal distinction.
Questions over ethical fitness
In the supporting affidavit, Mr Saraki stressed that he was competent to depose to the facts because of his direct involvement in preparing the petition and his personal knowledge of the issues it raises.
He argued that Mr Ibrahim’s conduct as attorney general falls short of the integrity, independence and professional ethics expected of lawyers seeking elevation to the Inner Bar.
According to Mr Saraki, the office of the attorney general is one of the most sensitive constitutional offices and must be exercised impartially, fairly and in the public interest. He contended that the powers attached to the office should never be deployed to advance partisan interests or pursue political opponents.
Mr Saraki said his petition was not intended to question the authority of the LPPC or interfere with its constitutional responsibilities. Rather, he stated, it was aimed at drawing the committee’s attention to what he described as conduct that raises legitimate concerns about Mr Ibrahim’s ethical fitness for the SAN rank.
The petition centres on two criminal cases instituted against him by the Kwara State Government under Mr Ibrahim’s leadership as attorney general. Mr Saraki alleged that both prosecutions lacked legal justification and formed part of a sustained campaign of political persecution.
“I firmly state that the attitude, official conduct and apparent professional desperation of the applicant for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Senior Sulyman Ibrahim, fall far below the high standards of integrity, honour and professional ethics required of any legal practitioner worthy of elevation to the Inner Bar,” Mr Saraki stated in the affidavit.
Offa robbery prosecution
Mr Saraki’s petition pointed to the 2018 Offa armed robbery case, one of Nigeria’s most high-profile criminal prosecutions.
In the wake of the arrest of the suspects accused of robbing banks and killing residents in 2018, one of the defendants was alleged to have been associated with Mr Saraki in the past. However, prosecutors did not find any link.
According to Mr Saraki’s petition, the Nigeria Police Force investigated the robbery and forwarded the case file to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for legal review through the Federal Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Mr Saraki explained that the federal DPP, in a legal advice dated 22 June 2018, found a prima facie case against only five suspects: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.
He said the five suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Kwara State High Court with charge number: KWS/66C/2018, convicted and sentenced, with the Court of Appeal later affirming the convictions.
Mr Saraki maintained that the same legal advice neither indicted him nor established a prima facie case against him or the other individuals who are now facing prosecution.
Despite that, he alleged that Mr Ibrahim, acting as attorney general, filed a fresh 24 counts against him and three others before the Kwara State High Court on 9 April.
The case, marked KWS/114C/2026, was, according to Mr Saraki, based substantially on the same facts and circumstances that formed the basis of the earlier investigation.
He argued that the Nigeria Police Force neither reopened the investigation nor uncovered fresh evidence linking him to the alleged offences before the new charges were filed.
Mr Saraki alleged that the decision to prosecute him represented an improper exercise of the attorney general’s constitutional powers under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution and was intended to advance political, rather than prosecutorial, objectives.
He further alleged that the fresh charges were designed to embarrass him publicly, damage his reputation and diminish his political standing.
The petition was accompanied by copies of the Federal DPP’s legal advice, the charge sheet with charge number: KWS/114C/2026 and other documents which Mr Saraki said support his claim that the prosecution departed from the conclusions reached after the original police investigation.
Second criminal case
Mr Saraki also cited a second criminal case filed against him by the Kwara State Government as part of his argument that Mr Ibrahim abused the powers of his office as attorney general.
According to the petition, Mr Ibrahim filed charge number: KWS/151C/2026 before Judge M.O. Folorunsho of the Kwara State High Court on 4 May, accusing Mr Saraki of making statements capable of provoking a breach of public peace.
The charge follow his comment on social media post and a newspaper publication Governor Abdulrazaq did not complete secondary school.
Mr Saraki argued that the allegation did not disclose any criminal offence and questioned the decision of the attorney general to authorise the prosecution.
He maintained that the charge was another example of what he described as the misuse of the criminal justice system to target political opponents and restrict lawful expression.
“It is impossible to fathom, by any legal interpretation, how this assertion is likely to provoke the Governor and the Kwara State Government into a breach of the peace,” Mr Saraki stressed in the petition.
He also alleged that he was not invited by the police or any other law enforcement agency for questioning before the charge was filed.
According to him, he only became aware of the proceedings after court documents were pasted at the gate of his residence in Ilorin, directing him to appear before the court on 10 June.
Alleged abuse of prosecutorial powers
Based on the two criminal cases, Mr Saraki argued that Mr Ibrahim had repeatedly used the powers of the attorney general’s office in a manner inconsistent with the impartial administration of justice.
He maintained that the office of the attorney general carries a constitutional responsibility to protect the public interest and must be exercised with independence, fairness and restraint.
According to Mr Saraki, prosecutorial powers should not be used to pursue political interests, punish critics or settle disputes involving political opponents.
He alleged that Mr Ibrahim’s actions demonstrated a lack of the professional judgement, fairness and ethical standards expected of a lawyer seeking elevation to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
“By weaponising the criminal justice system for ulterior motives, Sulyman Ibrahim, Esq. has brought disrepute to the noble legal profession and demonstrated a lack of emotional detachment, fairness and ministerial integrity expected of a minister in the temple of justice,” Mr Saraki stated in the affidavit.
Saraki’s request to LPPC
Mr Saraki urged the LPPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the two criminal cases before deciding Mr Ibrahim’s application for the SAN rank.
He asked the committee to examine the circumstances surrounding charge number: KWS/114C/2026 arising from the Offa robbery case and charge number: KWS/151C/2026 relating to the alleged public peace offence.
The former senate president argued that the conferment of the SAN rank should be based not only on professional ability and courtroom performance but also on character, integrity and commitment to the rule of law.
“I respectfully urge the Distinguished Committee to thoroughly investigate the facts surrounding the malicious filing of Charge No. KWS/114C/2026 and Charge No. KWS/151C/2026, and consequently step down or withhold the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Senior Sulyman Ibrahim, Esq., pending a thorough determination of his ethical fitness,” he said.
The petition was supported by copies of the Federal Department of Public Prosecutions’ legal advice dated 22 June 2018, the charge sheets in both criminal cases and the affidavit sworn before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
PREMIUM TIMES, on Wednesday. sought Mr Ibrahim’s reaction to the allegations contained in Mr Saraki’s petition through phone calls, text message and WhatsApp message before publication.
He answered the reporter’s initial phone call but ended the conversation after the reporter identified himself. Subsequent calls were not answered.
He had yet to respond to the text or WhatsApp messages before this report was filed on Thursday morning.
The LPPC has also not publicly commented on the petition.
The allegations contained in the petition remain claims made by Mr Saraki and have not been determined by the LPPC or any court.
The criminal cases referenced in the petition are also still before the Kwara State High Court, where the issues raised by the parties will be considered.
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On Tuesday, the Kwara State High Court adjourned until 21 July to hear an application by Mr Saraki seeking the recusal of Judge Osuolalale Ajayi from the Offa robbery case.
Mr Saraki’s lawyers, led by Kamaldeen Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), argued that the judge’s involvement in a related civil suit arising from substantially the same facts created a reasonable apprehension of bias.
In a separate case arising from comments allegedly made by Mr Saraki about Governor Abdulrazaq, Mr Folorunsho declined the prosecution’s request for a bench warrant against the former senate president.
The court, however, rejected the defence’s objection challenging its jurisdiction and adjourned the matter until 22 July for further proceedings.
Mr Saraki’s lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.
