Dipo Olowookere
The request by Federal Government of Nigeria to appeal a judgement against it some days ago has been granted by the United Kingdom Commercial Court.
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, was in court on Thursday in the UK alongside other senior government official to request for the appeal.
The African nation wants the UK Court of Appeal to upturn a ruling in favour of Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) to the tune of $9.6 billion.
Hearing the matter today, the UK Commercial Court granted Nigeria’s request for leave to appeal, enabling it appeal the Court’s recognition of the UK Arbitration Tribunal in the UK Court of Appeal.
The UK Commercial Court also approved the Government’s application for a “stay of execution” which will prevent the plaintiff, P&ID, from enforcing the UK Arbitration Tribunal’s earlier judgment while this case is heard on appeal before the Court of Appeal.
“I am pleased with today’s development in the court and see this as a positive resolution that constitutes an important step in the government’s efforts to defend itself in a fair and just process.
“We look forward to challenging the UK Commercial Court’s recognition of the tribunal’s decision in the UK Court of Appeal, uncovering P&ID’s outrageous approach for what it is: a sham based on fraudulent and criminal activity developed to profit from a developing country,” Mr Malami said.
