Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed a petition before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) seeking the disbarment of Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
In her petition, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Imasuen was disbarred by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, on May 10, 2010, for fraud, misappropriation of client funds, and failure to respond to disciplinary authorities. She presented as evidence a copy of the Justia New York Case Law 2010, titled Matter of Imasuen, and vowed to provide further official records to substantiate her claims.
According to the petition, Imasuen’s disbarment followed a complaint from Daphne Slyfield, a client who reportedly paid him substantial legal fees but was abandoned without legal representation. The New York court found him guilty of multiple professional violations, leading to a permanent revocation of his legal license in the United States.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further alleged that following his disbarment, Imasuen relocated to Nigeria, continued to present himself as a legal practitioner, and pursued a political career, ultimately securing a Senate seat representing Edo South. Despite his alleged disbarment over unethical conduct, she claimed he failed to disclose this sanction in both his legal and political engagements.
She also accused Imasuen of omitting this detail in Form EC9, a sworn declaration of personal information submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while contesting for public office.
The petition comes amid an ongoing controversy between the two lawmakers, after Imasuen-led Senate Committee suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, allegedly in defiance of a Federal High Court interim order dated March 4, 2025, restraining the committee from taking disciplinary action against her.
The LPDC is expected to review the petition and determine whether the Senate Ethics Chairman should be disbarred in Nigeria.
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