Photo: Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen
By Austin Manekator, Special Correspondent
In a pivotal decision on May 11, 2010, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department, disbarred Neda Bernards Imasuen for professional misconduct, effectively terminating his legal career in the United States. This ruling followed a disciplinary proceeding conducted by the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts.
However, rather than fading from the legal world, Imasuen has rebranded himself into a lawmaker in Nigeria by securing a seat as the senator representing Edo South on the platform of the Labour Party. In a striking irony, the individual who was disbarred and stopped from practicing the legal profession as a result of his ‘professional misconduct’ now sits in the hallowed chambers of the highest law-making body in Nigeria.
The U.S. disciplinary action against Imasuen stemmed from two significant allegations: his neglect of a legal matter entrusted to him by his client, Daphne Slyfield, and his failure to cooperate with the Grievance Committee’s investigation into his conduct. Despite being formally served with a petition on July 20, 2009, Imasuen failed to respond within the mandated 20-day period and did not request an extension. His non-compliance was interpreted as an implicit admission of the charges.
As the investigation progressed, Imasuen disregarded additional notifications, including a personal service of a motion for disciplinary action on September 21, 2009. His continued silence led the court to conclude that he was in default, resulting in the charges being legally deemed as admitted.
In an extraordinary step, the court appointed an inventory attorney to take custody of legal files found abandoned outside his former office, underscoring the gravity of his professional irresponsibility. Ultimately, the court approved a motion to destroy unclaimed files, effectively closing the chapter on his legal career.
Following his disbarment, the court ruled in favor of the Grievance Committee’s petition and ordered that Imasuen be removed from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law. He was prohibited from practicing law in any capacity, including providing legal advice, representing clients before the court, or holding himself out as a lawyer. Furthermore, any court-issued pass held by him was to be returned. Yet, none of these legal sanctions hindered his political ascent in Nigeria.
Despite this severe ethical violation, Imasuen contested and secured a seat in Nigeria’s Senate in 2023. But the trajectory of Imasuen’s political career got even more incredulous with his elevation to the Chairman of the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee, which recently made him the chief presiding officer in the controversial suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Senator, who represents Kogi Central. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension is generating controversy as it was announced on the heels of her sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Imasuen’s leadership in the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee presents a paradox: a man once deemed unfit to practice law in the United States now occupies a critical role in determining the ethical conduct of Nigerian legislators. This raises serious concerns about the credibility of Nigeria’s legislative process and the standards to which its members are held.
Neda Imasuen’s case is emblematic of broader contradictions within Nigerian politics. How does a man disbarred for professional misconduct in the United States ascend to a position as a lawmaker in Nigeria? How does an individual who failed to adhere to legal and ethical standards now assume the responsibility of judging ethical breaches within the Senate? His disbarment was not a trivial matter—it involved significant neglect, and an outright refusal to engage with the accountability processes set in place by the legal profession. Yet, instead of being subjected to further scrutiny at home, he was rewarded with political power. This highlights a troubling reality: individuals with questionable records are rising to the pinnacles of political offices, instead of facing retribution.
Nigerians must continue to demand greater accountability and high moral standards from their leaders. Cases like that of Imasuen serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for political and institutional reform. If the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee is headed by someone with a history of legal misconduct, what message does that send about the integrity of the nation’s governance? Ultimately, Neda Imasuen’s journey from a disbarred lawyer to a Nigerian senator is not only ironic, but it also serves as a profound indictment of the system that allowed such an outcome to transpire.
