The Senior Advocate of Nigeria called Joe Odey Agi

Joe Odey Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), from Cross
River State, is based in Abuja. His law firm – Joe Agi & Associates
– is located in the highbrow Ministers’ Hill, Maitama, in the
centre of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He is one of the prosperous lawyers in Abuja and was involved in
the 2015 governorship contest in his Cross River home state on the
platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an aspirant.

He lost to incumbent Governor Ben Ayade.

He challenged Ayade’s candidacy up to the Supreme Court on the
allegation that Ayade falsified his age.

In its judgment in December 2016, the Supreme Court, in a
unanimous decision, with the lead judgment read by Justice Clara
Bata Ogunbiyi (now retired), dismissed Agi’s appeal.

The apex court held, among others, that Ayade was validly
nominated by his party as its candidate and that there was nothing
to the allegation raised by Agi about his (Ayade’s) age.

In 2017, Agi was charged with Justice Adeniyi Ademola (now
retired) for allegedly offering bribe to a judicial officer, before
the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Ademola and his wife, Olubowale were accused of
collecting N30 million gratification from a company belonging to
Agi – Joe Agi and Associates, in March 2015.

Agi was believed to be Justice Ademola’s friend and personal
lawyer.

In a later amendment to the charge, Agi was accused of paying
N30 million in three tranches to Justice Ademola in March 2015.

Agi was also accused of giving a BMW vehicle, worth N8.5 million
to the judge, to allegedly influence his decision in court.

Himself, Justice Ademola and his wife denied the allegations.
They were later acquitted when the High Court of the FCT upheld
their no-case submission.

In a judgment in December last year, the Court of Appeal in
Abuja upheld Agi’s acquittal and dismiss the appeal filed by the
office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) against the
decision of the High Court of the FCT.

Agi is currently part of the legal team defending the suspended
Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen before the
Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Culled from TheNation