Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has adjourned the suit seeking to halt the process leading to issuance of new licenses for marginal oilfields to March 10, 2021, pending the determination of the suit.
The case with suit number PHC/YEN/CS/81/2020 was filed by Chief Brown Agu (Opu Agu VIII), Mrs Rosemary John-Oduone, President Ijaw Women Connect and Mr Femowei Friend, on behalf of the Ijaw ethnic nationality.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources are defendants in the suit.
In a motion on notice, the plaintiffs are seeking for an order restraining the defendants from further advertising or receiving bids in respect of marginal fields pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
They also want the court to restrain the defendants from issuing or approving any licence in respect of of the marginal fields listed, pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
When the case came up today, the presiding judge, Justice Abimbola Awogboro, adjourned the case to March 10, 2021, for continuation of hearing following an appeal by the Defense Counsel, Idris Imam, for time to respond to a motion.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Emie Trofanowei, had opposed the request for adjournment on the grounds that it was frivolous, explaining that the motion which the defense counsel was seeking time to respond to, had been served on them since many weeks ago.
