Get to know Onyechi Ikpeazu, the lead counsel who defended Adeleke's victory: 7 key facts

Onyechi Ikpeazu, a renowned lawyer, made headlines on Tuesday, following a landmark

victory at the Supreme Court, where his client, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the incumbent governor of Osun, was declared the legitimate winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship election. The three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Mohammed Shuaibu, had affirmed Adeleke's victory in 2022, nullifying the judgment of the election petition tribunal for "lacking merit." 

Justice Agim, in the Supreme Court judgment, held that the appellant, Gboyega Oyetola, failed to prove the allegations of over-voting and other irregularities in the conduct of the election. Here are seven things to know about Onyechi Ikpeazu.

1.     1. Born on April 15, 1959, in Onitsha, Anambra, Dr Ikpeazu has been in active legal practice till date. He served as the Chairman of the Onitsha Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association and a National Executive Council (NEC) member of the national body, NBA.

 

2.    2. The US-trained lawyer was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2007.

 

3.   3. Dr Ikpeazu has handled several landmark cases, including MOJEKWU V. MOJEKWU; MOJEKWU V. IWUCHUKWU, which preserved the inheritance right of a woman, and NGIGE V OBI, reported in (2006) 14 NWLR (Part 999) 1. This decision brought the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to office as the duly elected Governor of Anambra.

 

4.     4.  It is worth noting that Dr Ikpeazu is also one of the 12 SANs in Obi's legal team, challenging the victory of Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

5.     5. Dr Ikpeazu is also part of several Senatorial and National Assembly Election Petitions across the country, making him a go-to legal practitioner for election-related matters.

 

6.    6. In addition to election cases, Dr Ikpeazu has also provided legal representation in international arbitrations across several jurisdictions.

 

7.    7. Dr Ikpeazu is happily married and blessed with children, balancing his legal career with a fulfilling family life.