The Federal Excessive Court docket in Lagos has dominated that the authorized consultant appointed by the Asset Administration Company of Nigeria (AMCON) for Common Hydrocarbons Restricted (GHL), in furtherance of a purported receivership dispute, “offends the regulation.”
Justice Lewis-Allagoa delivered the decision, based on a licensed true copy of the court docket ruling sighted by Nairametrics.
The choose reached the choice after reviewing the details and arguments of GHL and AMCON relating to the previous’s authorized illustration in court docket, following proceedings on November 26, 2025, which had been stalled as a result of a battle in illustration.
The court docket had earlier directed the events to supply details and written addresses buttressing their positions on GHL’s precise authorized consultant.
AMCON vs GHL: Info in Court docket
Info offered by GHL earlier than the court docket revealed that Dr. Abiodun Layonu, SAN, was engaged as counsel for GHL by a letter dated September 17, 2025, with the appointment directed by Prince Nduka Obaigbena, the chairman of GHL.
Court docket data additionally confirmed that Dr. Abiodun Layonu, SAN, had represented GHL in all proceedings of the trial court docket in respect of the mortgage dispute.
For AMCON, its submission was that Seyi Akinwumi was appointed by AMCON because the receiver of Common Hydrocarbons Restricted on September 18, 2025.
In furtherance of his duties as receiver-manager, by a letter of instruction dated November 14, 2025, he appointed Mr. Kayode Adeluola, SAN, and Mr. Oluseye Opasanya, SAN, as authorized counsel for GHL and subsequently filed a discover of change of counsel earlier than the court docket.
Court docket Ruling
Ruling on the matter, Justice Lewis-Allagoa held that the appointment of Mr. Oluseye Opasanya, SAN, and Mr. Kayode Adeluola, SAN, by the receiver-manager as counsel for GHL was “inappropriate and offends the regulation.”
- The choose defined that in proceedings on October 22, 2025, the court docket had directed that its interim orders restraining the defendants from taking unfavourable steps towards GHL would stay in impact till put aside, stressing that AMCON’s motion was in disobedience of a subsisting court docket order.
- ThisDay stories that Justice Lewis-Allagoa additionally noticed that Mr. Bidemi Ademola-Bello, SAN, who represented the defendants (AMCON and others) on the September 23 court docket sitting, had undertaken to abide by the choice of the court docket.
- Nevertheless, Ademola-Bello subsequently instituted one other motion (Swimsuit No. 2159) earlier than Justice Aluko of the identical Federal Excessive Court docket, Lagos, in violation of the legitimate court docket order, allegedly within the title of the claimant within the purported receivership, and suppressed key related info earlier than Justice Aluko, ThisDay stories.
“The judgment of a court docket of competent jurisdiction subsists till put aside on enchantment. Whereas a judgment subsists, each individual affected by it, or towards whom an order is made, should obey it, even when it seems fallacious,” the choose stated.
- Within the circumstances, the choose held that it was within the curiosity of justice, the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria, and the preservation of the ethics of the authorized career for the court docket to discountenance the purported appointment and look of Mr. Oluseye Opasanya, or every other lawyer appointed by Seyi Akinwumi, as counsel to GHL within the swimsuit.
Backstory
Nairametrics beforehand reported that Common Hydrocarbons Restricted (GHL) faulted what it described as “an illegal try by AMCON to nominate a receiver over GHL,” citing pending court docket circumstances associated to the matter.
This adopted a receivership commercial revealed in some nationwide newspapers saying the appointment of a receiver by AMCON over GHL’s belongings.
In keeping with the advert dated November 6, 2025, all alleged debtors of the corporate had been instructed to remit funds on to the appointed receiver, Oluseye Akinwumi.
The discover additional directed all collectors to submit proof of claims, together with sworn affidavits verifying their money owed, inside 30 days of publication.
For banks and monetary establishments, the advert instructed that each one deposits, money, and different belongings held on behalf of GHL be frozen pending additional directives from the receiver.
The event seems to be linked to an ongoing authorized dispute between GHL and First Bank of Nigeria Restricted over Oil Mining Lease (OML) 120.
A number of court docket circumstances have been filed by each events in relation to the matter.
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