The Senior Advocate of Nigeria called 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).