2026 SAN Conferment Exercise Faces Legal Challenge as Lawyers Urge CJN to Suspend Process

The 2026 conferment exercise for the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has come under fresh legal scrutiny following a demand by a group of lawyers for the suspension of the process pending the resolution of an ongoing court dispute.

The development comes barely a day after the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, released the names of 89 shortlisted candidates for the coveted rank. The list comprises 77 legal practitioners and 12 academics who successfully passed the preliminary stages and are expected to participate in the final interview phase.

However, the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has formally requested that the CJN and the LPPC halt the ongoing exercise. In a pre-action notice dated June 24, 2026, the association argued that the SAN conferment process is linked to a matter currently before the appellate court and should therefore not proceed until the legal issues are resolved.

The dispute stems from ALDRAP’s campaign to establish an alternative professional distinction known as the “Blue Silks” for non-litigation lawyers. The initiative has been opposed by both the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the LPPC, which maintain that the SAN rank remains the only officially recognized professional privilege in Nigeria’s legal profession.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier granted a perpetual injunction restraining ALDRAP from conferring the Blue Silks title. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the association appealed the judgment, a move that has kept the matter alive before the Court of Appeal.

In its latest correspondence, ALDRAP contended that proceeding with the 2026 SAN selection process while the appeal remains unresolved could undermine the judicial process. The group warned that failure to suspend the exercise may compel it to initiate fresh legal action seeking to nullify the shortlist and restrain further steps toward the conferment.

The association further argued that its efforts to create the Blue Silks designation are protected by the constitutional right to freedom of association, insisting that non-litigation practitioners deserve a separate professional recognition framework.

Despite the objections, neither the LPPC nor the NBA has indicated any intention to suspend the SAN conferment exercise. Both bodies have consistently maintained that the SAN title remains the sole recognized distinction within the Nigerian legal profession.

The legal challenge has introduced uncertainty into the 2026 SAN conferment process, with stakeholders closely watching for the response of the CJN and any potential court action in the coming days.