The confusion trailing the election of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) was yesterday extended to the judiciary arm of government, following a disagreement between three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) over who should represent Governor Jonah Jang (Plateau State) and two other respondents in the suit brought by Governor Babatunde Fashola (Lagos) over the leadership crisis that has bedeviled the forum.

The development forced the presiding judge, Justice Peter Affen to adjourned proceedings till July 3, 2013, to allow the senior lawyers sort out themselves.

This was after he had advised the lawyers to resolve the disagreement amicably. “We are in the spotlight again, both the Bar and the Bench. We should not allow acts that will further erode our credibility.

“Let us not be caught by the problem of the governors’ forum. They did not resolve their problem amicably, that is why we are here. We should amicably resolve ours.”

In the suit before an Abuja High Court, Fashola is seeking among others, an order restraining Jang from parading himself as chairman, NGF on the ground that Amaechi won the election.

The Lagos governor also wants an order restraining Osaro Onaiwu from acting as the forum’s sole administrator.

Named as defendants include Jang, Asishana Bayo Okauru (forum’s director general), Onaiwu and the forum’s Registered Trustees.

When the clerk of the court called the matter yesterday, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) announced appearance for the plaintiff, while another SAN, accompanied by a junior lawyer announced for Jang and Onaiwu.

Drama, however, started when another SAN also announced for the same parties. In a similar way, while another Professor of Law announced for Okauru and the Trustees, another lawyer, also announced appearance for the Trustees.

For more than 30 minutes, there were arguments among the lawyers over the issue, with each lawyer claiming to have been validly briefed to represent their ‘clients.’

Specifically, the inability of the two SANs to agree on who should represent Jang and Onaiwu and similar disagreement between a SAN and another counsel on who should represent the Registered Trustees stalled the proceedings.

Source: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/govs-forum-crisis-lawyers-fight-in-court-over-brief/

Lol. See as mature men dey play "kabiala" on themselves....