Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has formally petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to halt the planned conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on the Kwara State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Senior Sulyman Ibrahim, accusing him of weaponising the criminal justice system for political persecution. In a petition dated May 25, 2026, Saraki urged the Chief Justice, who chairs the Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee responsible for conferring the SAN rank, to subject Ibrahim's candidacy to rigorous scrutiny, arguing that his official conduct falls "completely short of the high standard of integrity, honour and professional ethics" expected of any lawyer seeking elevation to the country's highest legal distinction. The petition, which has been seen by multiple news outlets including TheCable, BusinessDay, and Daily Report Nigeria, comes against the backdrop of a 20-count charge filed in April 2026 by the Kwara State Government against Saraki, former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, former Chief of Staff Yusuf Abdulwahab, and former aide Alabi Olalekan, over allegations of arming suspects later convicted for the 2018 Offa robbery attacks.
Saraki's petition is anchored on two principal grounds: malicious prosecution and abuse of constitutional powers, and frivolous penal code charges in violation of due process. The former Senate President alleged that Ibrahim brought the legal profession into disrepute by initiating charges against him despite an earlier decision by the Federal Government's Department of Public Prosecutions clearing him of any wrongdoing in connection with the 2018 Offa bank robbery. According to Saraki, the Kwara attorney-general proceeded to file charges against him and two others, knowing they lacked legal merit and were designed primarily to inflict political and reputational damage. "The charges were deliberately timed and designed to cause grave public embarrassment, inflict reputational damage and maliciously de-market me politically," Saraki stated in the petition, as quoted by TheCable.
Saraki further claimed that he was never invited by the police for questioning or confronted with any allegations before the criminal charges were instituted. In a striking revelation, he stated that he only became aware of the case after court processes were pasted on the gate of his residence in Ilorin, directing him to appear before the court on June 10, 2026. "Crucially, prior to the filing of this charge, I was neither invited by the police for questioning nor confronted with any allegations whatsoever," part of the petition reads, according to TheCable. The former Senate President argued that the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria is reserved exclusively for legal practitioners who have demonstrated exemplary character, absolute fidelity to the rule of law, and an unyielding commitment to the due administration of justice, and must never be conferred upon a practitioner who uses state prosecutorial machinery to wage personal or political vendettas.
The petition comes at a critical time, as the Legal Practitioners' Privileges Committee recently shortlisted 89 applicants for the 2026 SAN conferment exercise and is expected to conclude its screening process before announcing the successful candidates. Saraki's intervention, if successful, could derail Ibrahim's elevation and raise fundamental questions about the criteria for conferring the country's highest legal honour. The former Senate President has also deposed to an affidavit before the Kwara State High Court in support of his petition, reinforcing his allegations with sworn testimony. In his petition, Saraki described Ibrahim's conduct as an abuse of prosecutorial authority, arguing that "by weaponising the criminal justice system for ulterior motives, Sulyman Ibrahim, Esq., has brought disrepute to the legal profession and shown that he lacks the emotional detachment, fairness, and ministerial integrity expected of a minister in the temple of justice."
The Kwara State Government had in April filed a 20-count charge against Saraki and his co-defendants over allegations of arming suspects convicted in the Offa bank robbery case. The charges, filed by Ibrahim in his capacity as Attorney-General, stem from the April 2018 Offa robbery, which claimed the lives of 33 people, including police officers, and sent shockwaves across the nation. Five suspects were subsequently convicted and sentenced to death for their roles in the robbery. However, Saraki has consistently denied any involvement in the incident, describing the fresh charges as politically motivated and baseless. In a statement issued in April, he said the move was an attempt to link him to the crime using "the same recycled and discredited allegations" that had been previously debunked by the Department of Public Prosecutions.
The Offa robbery case has been a recurring political and legal flashpoint in Kwara State, with Saraki and his allies accusing the current administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of using the judiciary to settle political scores. The former Senate President, who is also a former governor of Kwara State, has maintained that he was cleared by the federal government's prosecuting authorities and that the fresh charges were an abuse of process. In a related development, Saraki has also filed a motion seeking the recusal of the judge presiding over the Offa robbery case, citing an alleged conflict of interest and the need to preserve public confidence in the judicial process. A Kwara State High Court has adjourned hearing on the motion until July 21, 2026.
The controversy over Ibrahim's SAN nomination adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught legal battle between Saraki and the Kwara State Government. If the LPPC decides to withhold the SAN rank from Ibrahim, it would be a significant victory for Saraki and a blow to the state's chief law officer. Conversely, if the committee proceeds with the conferment, it could be seen as an endorsement of Ibrahim's conduct despite Saraki's allegations. The LPPC, which is chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, has not yet responded to Saraki's petition, and it remains unclear whether the committee will take his allegations into consideration before making a final decision on the SAN list. The outcome of this petition will be closely watched by the legal community and political observers, as it touches on the delicate balance between prosecutorial discretion, political accountability, and the integrity of Nigeria's highest legal honour.
Saraki's petition has reignited debate over the criteria for conferring the SAN rank and whether the honour should be withheld from legal practitioners who are perceived to have abused their offices. The former Senate President argued that the SAN rank "must never be conferred upon a practitioner who uses state prosecutorial machinery to wage personal or political vendettas," a position that has resonated with critics of the current administration in Kwara State. For now, the fate of Sulyman Ibrahim's SAN bid remains uncertain, as the LPPC weighs the allegations against him. However, Saraki has made it clear that he will not remain silent in the face of what he describes as a deliberate attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against him.
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