By Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Supreme Court yesterday announced the elevation of 30 candidates to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), with Festus Keyamo, Olusola Oke, former Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Kamarudeen Ajibade making the list of the successful candidates.Â
The new Chief Registrar of Supreme Court / Secretary of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, Hadizatu Mustapha, also announced Oluwatoyin Ajoke Bashorun as the only female among the successful candidates.Â
 Mustapha stated that the final list which was arrived at following a three-day meeting of the committee, was pursuant to its powers under Section 5 of Legal Practitioners’ Act, Laws of the Federation 2004 as amended.
 According to him, the candidates emerged successful after a rigorous screening of 156 applicants who applied to be elevated to the rank of SAN.
She disclosed that while 123 candidates qualified in the first stage, only 72 made it to the final stage with 30 of them successful.
Given further breakdown of the candidates, the Chief Registrar disclosed that 26 of them are practising lawyers while the remaining four are from the academica.
Leading the class of the academic is Prof. Enefiok Effiong Essien of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Prof. Sadiq Sylvester Shikyl of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa, Prof. Adebambo Anthony Adewopo former Director-general, National Copyright Commission and Prof. Adedeji Olusegun Adekunle, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.
Other successful candidates include Chibuike A. Nwokeukwu, Johnnie N. Egwuonwu, Bert C. Igwilo, Sylvester E. Elema, Ikenna V. Egbuna and Wilcox A. Abereton.
The remaining are Michael A. Aliyu, Akinlolu O. Osinbajo, Francis F. Egele, Nasser A Dangiri, Emeka P. Okpoko, Sani H. Garun-Gabbas, Abdul A. Ibrahim, John O. Odubela, Gboyega S. Oyewole, Joshua Y. Musa, Ibrahim S. Mohammed, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, Oyetola Oshobi, Sulaiman Usman, Kehinde O. Ogunwumiju and Chiesonu I. Okpoko.
Mustapha however disclosed that swearing in ceremony of the candidates have been scheduled for September this year.
