It was a wild day at the Presidential Appeal Petition Tribunal today! In a shocking twist of events, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) was reprimanded and unceremoniously walked out of the court by the judges for accepting a brief from an unknown group. During introduction of appearing counsels, which Awa Kalu, SAN who led the Petitioners’ counsel in the absence of Livy Uzoukwu, conducted for the Petitioners, one Oba Maduabuchi, SAN stood to interrupt proceedings that he was appearing for LP.
The SAN, who had come to the court to represent the Apapa group, was told in no uncertain terms that he had made a terrible mistake. The judge was so angry that he couldn’t even stand to look at him!
The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led Tribunal did not record his appearance, “you did not file this petition. Let the person that filed the case announce appearance. We cannot record you,” the Tribunal Chairman indicated.
Another member of the panel tongue-lashed Maduabuchi for accepting the brief, “as a learned silk, you should know better and you should have told whoever that briefed you that there is another lawyer handling the matter.”
The SAN was left speechless and humiliated by the whole scene, and it’s safe to say that he won’t be making the same mistake again.
The Judge told him That there’s no way he will come in and represent LP when they have a team already representing them
He wanted to keep speaking but they shut him down and told him to either Leave or Sit Quietly and watch the Proceedings WITHOUT getting involved!
The Impostor SAN whom Apapa brought to represent him, has been identified as the SAN who commented that Tinubu did well by picking a Muslim – Muslim ticket.
The motion has been moved that the ruling won’t be done today again but has been adjourned till tomorrow Saturday by 10 am, just same time with that of the PDP.
Again The Counsel for INEC and APC insisted that it be adjourned till Monday, but the Judges ignored it. The INEC legal adviser and counsel pleads that he wants to leave the courtroom, because it’s time for Muslim prayers. However, the Judges ignored his plea and insisted that the case must go on.
This is definitely a lesson for all lawyers out there: don’t take on cases from unknown groups, or you might just end up in the same situation as this poor SAN!