A mild drama occurred at the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), yesterday, as the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) briefed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to announce appearance for the party.
When Peter Obi’s petition against the presidential-elect was called for hearing and lawyers were asked to announce their appearances, Chief Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, stood up and told the court that he was briefed to represent the LP.
The senior lawyer addressed the court after Prof. Awa Kalu, SAN, who appeared alongside five others SANs, had already announced his presence as counsel for the petitioners.
However, Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the court declined to record his appearance.
“You did not file this petition. Let the person that filed the case announce their appearance. We cannot record you,” Justice Tsammani held.
Another member of the panel berated Maduabuchi, SAN, for accepting the brief when he was aware that the party already had its team of lawyers.
“As a learned silk, you should know better and you should have told whoever briefed you that there is another lawyer handling the matter,” a member of the panel added.
Responding, Maduabuchi said that he would go back and relate what happened in court to his client.
Justice Tsammani said that is not the business of the court. “You can either leave the court or sit and observe the proceedings,” Chairman of the panel said
Earlier, Obi, who was in court, had announced himself as the representative of the petitioners.
The court subsequently adjourned to May 20 for the continuation of pre-hearing.
