Lawyer Olayinka Ola-Daniels has raised concerns over what he described as a deliberate disregard for a court order in the ongoing receivership dispute involving several power firms and a syndicate of lenders.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Thursday, Ola-Daniels said: “What I am concerned and I’m bothered about, it is the allegation of disregarding the court order in this matter. And I would rather spend more time in discussing that than addressing the issue.”
He explained that a ruling was issued earlier this month but had not been respected. “It is sad, because a ruling was given on the 5th of August, affirming the 24th expertly order and the one given on the 27th of July. However, what we understand the party should have done when a ruling is given is for them to go by the order of court and to make sure that the order of court is seen to have been obeyed without any alter of doubt. But in this manner, an order of court was given. But what are we seeing? A party is disregarding the strict order of a court.”
Ola-Daniels accused a senior advocate involved in the case of undermining the law, saying: “Someone is trying to play smart. A ruling, I mean, an order was given on the 5th. Now, you came back on the 6th, then you’re releasing a publication on the 6th. When the order of court says everyone remains status quo, you cannot do this as a receiver.”
He also stated: “We can write a petition to the disciplinary committees on this… the singular act of him disobeying court order, and he’s supposed to be a senior advocate that is supposed to uphold the law.”
Addressing the wider implications, Ola-Daniels warned: “If I don’t trust the legal profession, if I don’t trust the judicial system to come to your country to invest, that I will get justice if there are disputes, and that no one will be interpreting what the courts never said in his judgement, I’ll be afraid to bring my investment to the country. And this is not good for Nigerian economy. It’s not good for judicial system. It’s not good for a legal profession.”
He concluded with a call for due process, saying: “Let the rule of law prevail. If there is a court order and you are not comfortable with it, then file to vacate the court order before you proceed in whatever you are doing. But if you have not done that, you cannot do.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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