The Supreme Court sitting in Abuja yesterday, warned oil producing giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), that its proposed handover of oil mining lease (OML) 53 and 55 slated for April 1-6, this year would be at its own risk.
This follows the inability of the apex court to continue proceeding with the main appeal of the case before it involving Brittania-U and CNL, slated for yesterday, because of intervening developments after the matter was adjourned in February 24 this year.
The appellant’s counsel informed the court that they were compelled to file a motion for a mandatory restorative order to reverse overreaching steps allegedly taken by Chevron and Seplat aimed at getting the Minister of Petroleum Resources to consent to the divestment of CNL’s interest in OML 53 and 55, despite the appeal that was pending in court and the motion for interlocutory injunction pending that appeal in respect of acquisition of the three assets by Brittania U.
When the case was called, counsel to all the parties were in court. Rickey Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) and six other junior lawyers represented the appellant while D.D.Dodo (SAN) appeared for Seplat Petroleum which is the first respondent and Uche Nwokedi (SAN) appeared for Chevron Nigeria and US parent company, the second respondent and the fourth respondent. A.V. Etuwewe represented the third and fifth respondents.
Dodo informed the court that they had a motion to amend their respondents’ brief while A.V. Etuwewe applied for extension of time to regularise his own respondent brief.
