Justice Iyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the law firm of Nnoli and Okoye from participating in a suit on E-Customs Project instituted against the federal government by Bionica Technologies W.A. Limited.
The law firm was disallowed from making representation in the suit following the dismissal of its request to take over from another law firm.
Nnoli and Okoye Chambers had on July 15, 2022, filed a motion on notice pursuant to Order 9 Rule 35 of the Federal High Court asking that the law firm of Ahmed Raji be ordered to stop representing Bionica Technologies West Africa Ltd.
In place of Ahmed Raji law firm, Nnoli and Okoye Chambers sought to take over legal representation for Bionica Technologies allegedly on the instructions of two directors of the company.
Nnoli and Okoye claimed it was briefed and engaged by Dr Jummai Umar Ajijola Zainab and Alhaji Ahmadu Saleh.
An affidavit claiming that they have been briefed to take over the legal representation from Ahmed Raji was deposed to by Godson Okoye on behalf of Jummai Umar Ajijola Zainab and Ahmadu Saleh.
The bid was, however, vehemently countered by another director of Bionica Technologies, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Kuta, who claimed to be the managing director of the company.
In his counter affidavit, Kuta claimed that at no time did the directors meet and passed a resolution to change the legal representation of the company from Ahmed Raji to Nnoli and Okoye.
He averred that the two meetings conveyed by the directors of the company were not attended by Jummai Umar Ajijola Zainab and Ahmadu Saleh and the duo could not have acted on behalf of other directors of the company.
In his finding, Justice Ekwo held that the counter affidavit to the notice of change of counsel was deposed to by Umaru Tanko Kuta who signed the letter of appointment of Ahmed Raji dated June 3, 2022.
Blueprint Newspapers on WhatsAp-Join now!