Disagreement between two lawyers yesterday, stalled an application by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to vacate an order of the court stopping the party from going ahead with its March 26 national convention.
Justice Bello Kawu, of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), had ordered the party not to go ahead with the planned national convention.
During the proceedings yesterday, two lawyers, Shu’aibu Aruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), and Michael Adoyi from the Chambers of Musa Yakubu, (SAN) and Co, announced appearance for both the party and the chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
While Aruwa claimed that he had been briefed by the party to take over the matter from Musa Yakubu, Adoyi, who appeared from the same chambers, said his principal has not been debriefed.
He said, My Lord, it appears there is a conflict of representation as regards the 1st and 2nd respondents in this matter. We have a copy of a letter of instruction to us in this matter.
After we were briefed, we filed a notice of change of counsel and we informed the counsel in court of the changes and there was no complaint.
In his response, Adoyi said his chambers has not been debriefed. According to him, the case file was still with him.
Justice Kawu, in his ruling, said it was obvious the case wont go on because of the disagreement over legal representation.
Having heard from counsels, it appears there is disagreement over who the counsel representing the 1st and 2nd respondents will be. I, therefore, order the 1st and 2nd respondents to write to the court who their counsel is. This matter is hereby adjourned to March 17, 2022, the judge ruled.
Recall that the electoral umpire, INEC had last week written to the APC, insisting that the Commission did not recognise Governor Abu Bellos leadership of the party, and also informed the APC that it has not performed one of the requisite requirements for a valid NEC meeting or National Convention.
