The Association of Legislative and Advocacy Drafting Practitioners (ALDRAP) has formally challenged an Abuja Federal High Court ruling that barred it from awarding the Blue Silks rank to non-litigation lawyers. In a notice of appeal filed on Thursday, the association argued that the presiding judge, Justice Omotosho, overstepped by granting a relief not requested by any party in the case.
Justice Omotosho’s verdict, delivered earlier this month, imposed a permanent injunction stopping ALDRAP and its Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, from continuing the conferment of the Blue Silks designation, known as Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN). The rank was introduced by ALDRAP as an alternative to the traditional Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title, which is awarded by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC).
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the LPPC had opposed the Blue Silks initiative, labeling it unlawful and warning that lawyers who accept it could face disciplinary action for professional misconduct. In response, ALDRAP had approached the court seeking protection for its members’ rights and to prevent interference with its activities.
However, the court sided with the respondents, issuing an order that ALDRAP now contends was not sought in any of the pleadings. Dr. Jaja, in a statement, emphasized that the appeal relies on the established legal principle from the case of Odofin vs. Agu (1993), which holds that a court cannot grant reliefs not demanded by the parties.
ALDRAP further argued that the trial judge disregarded a previous ruling by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar on January 27, 2026, which stated that both the NBA and LPPC lack authority over matters outside the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962. The association also asserted that the judge overlooked correspondence dating back to 2021, in which ALDRAP informed the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the LPPC, and the NBA that the Blue Silks rank is akin to a fellowship for members who meet specific criteria.
Additionally, the group claimed the judgment failed to consider that Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020 provide legal backing for the SCN rank. In line with the Court of Appeal Rules, 2021, ALDRAP has instructed its legal team to file the appeal and a stay of execution motion, seeking to suspend enforcement of the decision pending the outcome of the higher court’s review.
Dr. Jaja affirmed that by filing both documents, ALDRAP has secured sufficient legal cover to continue using and conferring the Blue Silks rank without interruption.