Nigeria Law Society To Sue CAC For N5 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has announced plans to sue Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), over an alleged defamatory publication against the Nigerian Law Society (NLS).

The dispute centers around claims by the CAC that the NLS, a professional legal body chaired by Ayorinde, is not registered. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which represents Nigerian lawyers, is also reportedly opposed to the formation of the NLS.

The controversy escalated when the CAC Registrar General wrote to the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, seeking permission to prosecute the NLS and other entities allegedly operating without proper registration.

In response, Ayorinde pointed to a Federal High Court ruling in December 2023, which ordered the CAC to register the NLS. He accused the CAC of ignoring the court’s directive and misleading the public by failing to acknowledge the existence of the ruling.

Ayorinde’s letter to the CAC, dated August 12 and acknowledged by the commission on August 16, demanded a public apology and retraction of the alleged defamatory statements. He warned that failure to do so within seven days would result in legal action, including a claim for N5 billion in damages.

In a letter dated August 19, the CAC Registrar General confirmed that the commission had appealed the court’s decision and maintained that the NLS was acting unlawfully by operating under an unregistered name. The letter cited provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, which prohibit individuals or associations from conducting business without proper registration.

The CAC’s stance has set the stage for a legal battle, as Ayorinde prepares to challenge the commission’s actions in court.