In 2010, Neda Imasuen, a Nigerian-trained lawyer, was disbarred by a US court from practicing law in America, according to reports from Premium Times.
However, in 2023, Imasuen, originally from Edo State, was elected as a senator representing Edo South Senatorial District in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber.
He is a member of the Labour Party, one of the opposition parties in Nigeria, while the ruling party is the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Imasuen earned a law degree from the University of Maiduguri and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, becoming a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
According to his official website, his legal career began in New York, where he practiced law and served as a public advocate for several years.
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A document obtained by Premium Times revealed that while in the US, a client named Daphne Slyfield hired Imasuen for legal representation but accused him of neglecting the case after being paid.
Slyfield filed a petition with the Supreme Court of New York, alleging that Imasuen failed to fulfill his professional duties.
The Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts of the Court handled the case. Imasuen was accused of “professional misconduct,” and a special referee, George Friedman, was appointed to investigate the allegations.
In July 2009, Imasuen was served with the petition and given 20 days to respond. However, he failed to submit a response or request an extension, resulting in the charges being deemed admitted by the court.
Imasuen was admitted to the US bar on September 16, 1992, but was disbarred almost 18 years later.
The Grievance Committee’s order, dated May 11, 2010, prohibited him from practicing law in any capacity and ordered him to refrain from presenting himself as an attorney.
Premium Times investigation revealed that a disbarred attorney may apply for reinstatement after seven years, but it is unclear if Imasuen applied for reinstatement after his disbarment. If he did not, his disbarment remains in effect.
Imasuen did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment on this matter.
It was noted that Imasuen returned to Nigeria in the same year as his disbarment and later worked as a consultant for the European Union’s State Reforming Institutional Programme, where he served as the Jigawa State coordinator.
In his current role as the chairperson of the Senate Ethics Committee, Imasuen was involved in the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, and after the committee’s investigation, Imasuen led the decision to suspend her for six months over alleged misconduct related to a seating arrangement issue.
Imasuen ruled that the sexual harassment petition against Akpabio was “dead on arrival” and should not be entertained by the Senate.
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