Supreme Court warns Chevron, Seplat to back off handover of OML 53 & 55

The  Supreme  Court  sitting in  Abuja yesterday, warned oil producing giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), that its proposed handover of  oil mining lease (OML) 53 and 55 slated for April 1-6, this year would be at its own peril.

This follows the inability of the apex court to continue proceeding with the main appeal of the case before it involving Brittania-U and  CNL, slated for  yesterday, because of  intervening developments after the matter was adjourned in February 24 this year.

The appellant’s counsel informed the court that they were  compelled to file a motion for a mandatory restorative order to reverse  overreaching  steps  allegedly  taken by  Chevron and Seplat aimed at getting the  Minister of Petroleum Resources  to  consent  to the  divestment  of  CNL’s  interest in OML 53 and 55, despite  the appeal that was pending in court and the  motion  for  interlocutory  injunction pending  that appeal in respect of acquisition of  the three  assets by Brittania U.

When the case was called, counsel to all the  parties were   in court. Rickey Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) and  six  other  junior  lawyers  represented  the appellant while D.D.Dodo (SAN) appeared  for Seplat Petroleum  which is the  first respondent and Uche Nwokedi (SAN) appeared  for  Chevron Nigeria  and US parent company, the  second respondent and the  fourth respondent. A.V. Etuwewe represented the third and fifth respondents.

Dodo informed  the   court  that they had a motion to amend  their respondents’  brief while  A.V. Etuwewe applied  for extension of  time to regularise  his  own respondent  brief.

Source: The Nation