Senator Natasha Files Disbarment Petition Against Imasuen

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently suspended, has submitted a petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to have Senator Nedamwen Bernard Imasuen disbarred from the Nigerian Bar.

This petition is based on claims of professional misconduct, alleging that Senator Imasuen was previously disbarred from the New York Bar due to fraud, misappropriation of client funds, and non-compliance with disciplinary authorities.

The petition notes that Senator Imasuen was permanently disbarred by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, on May 10, 2010, following a complaint from a client, Daphne Slyfield, who accused him of misappropriating legal fees. The court found him guilty of several breaches of professional conduct, resulting in the revocation of his legal license in the United States.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan contends that, despite his disbarment, Senator Imasuen moved to Nigeria and presented himself as a legal practitioner while entering the political sphere. He eventually secured election as the Senator for the Edo South Senatorial District. He was appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, a position requiring utmost integrity.

The petition further alleges that Senator Imasuen failed to disclose his disbarment on his FORM EC-9 - the Particulars of Personal Information submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC before running for office.