[center]PRESS RELEASE: ECOWAS COURT PUNISHES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR DELAY TACTICS IN NIGER DELTA OIL BLOCK OWNERSHIP LANDMARK CASE[/center]

In the on going hearing in the Ecowas Community Court of Justice, Suit No: ECW/CCJ/APP/20/15, holden at Abuja on the 12th October, 2016 between Mr. Nosa Ehanire-Osaghae, Jonah Gbemre, Aiko Obobaifo & Daniel Ikponmwosa (Plaintiffs) suing on behalf of themselves and the People of Niger Delta Vs the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Defendant), as regards the ownership of the Niger Delta Oil Bocks. Before their Lordships Hon. Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke (Presiding), Hon. Justice micah Wilkins Wright (Member) and Hon. Justice Alioune Sall (Member), continued on Wednesday, 12th October, 2016.

Honorable Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke presiding over the panel of three Honorable Justices lambasted the Defendant’s counsel, saying he FUMBLED, when he initially announced his appearance for the Defendant and proceeded to move a motion for the Defendant, only for him to back track and plead for the adjournment of the matter as he was only “holding brief” for the lawyers of the Ministry of Justice who were indisposed to appear in court. That the proper thing to do was to announce his “appearance” only to hold brief for his learned colleague and take a date on his behalf for adjournment without moving any motion on behalf of the Defendant as if he was the defence counsel.

That was when the Plaintiff’s Counsel Barrister Sophia Okoedion objected the defence counsel’s move for an adjournment stating the fact that the Federal Government’s lawyers were using it as a “delay tactic” ploy, to unnecessarily prolong the matter, after having failed to appear in court in the previous hearing date without even proffering any plausible excuse for their non-appearance.

The fiery Human Rights Lawyer pleaded with their Lordships, that if she could come all the way from the Niger Delta to Abuja for the matter, why couldn’t the Defence counsels from the Federal Ministry of Justice in the same Abuja come to court to defend their client? Wherein she asked the honorable court to use its own discretion to award cost.

Upon which their Lordships deliberated on the matter and ruled for the second consecutive time, that hearing will once again be adjourned for November 11th, 2016 so that the Defendant’s counsel will be given another opportunity to “appear” in court to defend their client for the sake of fair hearing and justice and consequently awarded cost of N30,000 against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It will be noted that on the previous hearing date of June 16th, 2016 the matter was adjourned to October 12th 2016, as the defendant and their counsels from the Federal Ministry of Justice, failed to appear in court to enter their plea. Only for the same incident to be repeated again which duly attracted the punishment of the Ecowas Court as a deterrent to the Federal Government’s “irksome & annoying” strategy of trying to delay the full determination of the oral process in court. Before the landmark judgment is finally delivered as to who has the ownership rights of the oil & gas Natural Resources of the Niger Delta between the Niger Delta People and the Federal Republic of Nigeria according International Laws & Treaties to which the Nigerian State is signatory bound.

Barrister Sophia Okoedion reportedly made it clear that it is evidently because the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no “substantive claim” to the Ownership Rights of the Niger Delta Oil Blocks, according to International Laws and Treaties which supersedes its own Constitutional Laws & Acts that is the obvious reason for its “reluctance” and “coyness” to appear in court to defend such its claim under cross-examination in a free, fair and impartial International Court of Competent Jurisdiction.

She declared that she has confidence in the Ecowas Court competence and jurisprudence in delivering an erudite legal analysis and unimpeachable judgment in this international landmark case that will become Locus Classicus.

Signed:
BARRISTER SOPHIA OKOEDION,
H.S Okoedion Chambers,
Mobile: 08057816764
Blog: http://www.okoedion.

Don't we have ministers, diplomats, lawyers, politician in ECOWAS committee.

Pacjourna:
[center]PRESS RELEASE: ECOWAS COURT PUNISHES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR DELAY TACTICS IN NIGER DELTA OIL BLOCK OWNERSHIP LANDMARK CASE[/center]

Barrister Sophia Okoedion reportedly made it clear that it is evidently because the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no “substantive claim” to the Ownership Rights of the Niger Delta Oil Blocks, according to International Laws and Treaties which supersedes its own Constitutional Laws & Acts that is the obvious reason for its “reluctance” and “coyness” to appear in court to defend such its claim under cross-examination in a free, fair and impartial International Court of Competent Jurisdiction.

Signed:
BARRISTER SOPHIA OKOEDION,
H.S Okoedion Chambers,
Mobile: 08057816764
Blog: http://www.okoedion.

How do we have set of laws that supercedes our Constitution. How did the courts allow such an agreement to be signed without a word. Why did NASS allow this.

Yes we do have all of these but the same reason why federal law supercedes state laws and the supreme court supercedes the high court, is the same reason why international laws & treaties supercedes national laws & acts and the Ecowas Court supercedes the Supreme Court. Besides the African Union Charter and United Nations Covenants are legally binding to all member states that are signatory to them.

So you cannot eat your cat and have by signing a treaty and refusing to submit to it. No Deal! It is called a VIOLATION AND BREACH that attracts international legal penalties according to international law. So let's see how they will disobey the Ecowas court like they do with their national courts and we will see how they will withstand the wrath and sanctions of the international community.

Pacjourna:
Yes we do have all of these but the same reason why federal law supercedes state laws and the supreme court supercedes the high court, is the same reason why international laws & treaties supercedes national laws & acts and the Ecowas Court supercedes the Supreme Court. Besides the African Union Charter and United Nations Covenants are legally binding to all member states that are signatory to them.

So you cannot eat your cat and have by signing a treaty and refusing to submit to it. No Deal! It is called a VIOLATION AND BREACH that attracts international legal penalties according to international law. So let's see how they will disobey the Ecowas court like they do with their national courts and we will see how they will withstand the wrath and sanctions of the international community.

It seems Nigeria likes embarrassing it's self. ECOWAS is seems to sanction us alot. Then lost case to Cameroon in ICC. Next case will lose would be Shiite sect ban.