Drama as Fayemi’s counsel appears for Oni
A drama played out at the Supreme Court on Tuesday when a former member of Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi’s legal team at the Election Petitions Tribunal was discovered to have switched to Chief Olusegun Oni’s camp.
Oni, a former governor of the state, had filed an appeal before the apex court seeking to reopen his case to return to office after the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, on October 15, 2010, sacked him and declared Fayemi governor.
A panel of Supreme Court justices, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, convened to hear the appeal on Tuesday, adjourned the hearing of the appeal till March 4.
However, before the adjournment, a drama played out when parties’ lawyers were announcing their appearances.
After about 33 lawyers, led by Chief Joe Gadzama, SAN, had announced for Oni, Fayemi’s lead counsel, John Bayeshea, SAN, informed the court that one of the lawyers on Oni’s legal team, one Ajayi, was a member of Fayemi’s camp when the matter was at the Court of Appeal.
He said, “One of the counsel mentioned on the other side was with us at the lower court – I don’t know if that is proper.
“He did not give us any notice of severance. I suggest he should just be neutral in this matter.”
In response, Gadzama, said, “A counsel can choose to be where he wishes.”
The lawyer thereafter rose to address the court, saying, “The truth of the matter is that I was not on their list (of counsel) at the court below, I was only their sympathiser at that stage.”
The statement drew laughter from the courtroom.
Bayeshea noted that the lawyer’s action was not proper, as, even though his name was not listed among the counsel while the matter was at the appellate court, he appeared in court as part of the respondent’s legal team.
CULLED FROM : PUNCH
January 9, 2013 by Ihuoma Chiedozie, Abuja
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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