Governor Akpabio is laughing at you, lawyer tells Frank Okon

Mr. Frank Okon

By Nse Peter

Former PDP aspirant in the 2011 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Frank Okon’s dispute with his erstwhile lawyer, Mr. Andem Ndem has sparked off debates on the Internet, even as a Uyo-based legal practitioner, Mr. Anthony Ebuk has admonished Okon that the manner in which he has parted ways with Ndem will give Governor Godswill Akpabio cause to laugh at him.

Frank Okon is still in court, challenging the PDP primaries that paved the way for the re-election of Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, more than two years after Akpabio defeated him in the said primaries, and Andem Ndem was part of Okon’s legal team until it was hurriedly sacked some months ago by Okon while the suit challenging Akpabio was still in court.

The dispute between Frank Okon and Andem Ndem seems to be on how much money Ndem is entitled to as his legal fees. Okon admits in the statement he posted in Ibom Forum, “I am owing Barrister Andem Ndem & Co N2.2 million for their services as per my written agreement with them before the outset of the case, an amount which is ready for them to pick up anytime they are ready”. Okon went further to say that he has written to the Nigeria Bar Association to investigate his former lawyer for ‘professional misconduct’.     

“You may just begin to imagine the resounding laughter at Wellington Bassey way as soon as your mail got published,” Anthony Ebuk wrote in Ibom Forum, disproving of Frank Okon’s posting in the forum, informing the public that Andem Ndem has filed a court case against him in an Abuja high court. Wellington Bassey Way is the road leading to the Government House, Uyo, and Ebuk is apparently referring to its number one occupant – Governor Godswill Akpabio.

Ibom Forum is an Akwa Ibom online discussion group, hoisted under the Yahoo! platform.

“I am not sure this forum is the proper avenue to sort out this situation. If there are issues between you and your legal counsel, sort it out privately. Washing certain dirty linens in public does attract reproach or contempt even from ardent supporters of your cause,” wrote Mr. Ebuk.

“People have no way of accessing potential leaders except on how they react, respond to, and manage even domestic issues such as this. We will be relieved and even glad if the next mail we read from you on this issue is to a report of settlement and a withdrawal of the suit.”