MILLIONS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF WHY GARBA PWUL (SAN) WAS FINED BY THE COURT OF APPEAL

 

By: Amb. Valentine Adese (JP),

There have been many stories on why Garba Pwul, SAN was fined and made to pay Millions of Naira in Motion No: CA/J/24/2024 in Appeal No: CA/J/EP/PL/SHA/61/2023.

However, REALITY finding from the Court of Appeal indicates that the Court reached this decision because the SAN was not diligent in prosecuting his case.

The Court in its ruling from the Certified True Copy (CTC), dated 4/3/2024 obtained by REALITY, explained that, Pwul, SAN, declined to move his Applications despite all entreaties and therefore the Court had to strike out all the Applications filed before them by Pwul, SAN, with cost.

It is of note that the matter before the Court on Tuesday, the 27^th of February, 2024, is between Nimchak Abel Nansak and APC as Appellants/Respondents and INEC, Nanmin Joseph Langyi (as Respondent/Appellant) and PDP, as Respondent.

 

But after hearing G. S. Pwul, SAN, leading other Lawyers and E. G. Pwajok, SAN with him, M. G. Aluma (Esq) and Mr. J. D. Dinju (Esq) for the 1^st Respondent, Mr. L. M. Ebi (Esq), with him Mr.  M. S. Salihu (Esq), and A. Akomani (Esq) for the 2^nd Respondent among other Counsels, the Court stated in part in its ruling below:-

“This morning, Mr. Pwul, SAN appeared before this Court and despite entreaties from the Court, he declined to move his applications after identifying them.

He equally failed to adduce any Constitutional or Statutory justification for a request said to have been made by him to the HPCA to constitute a full panel of this Court to attend to his Application which he claimed to have been submitted to the office of the HPCA this morning.

When asked for a copy of the said Application with evidence of acknowledgment from the office of the HPCA, Mr. Pwul, SAN said he did not have it. It is therefore, evident that Mr. Pwul, SAN is not being straight with this Court. His unwillingness to move his Application shows that he is not ready or willing to prosecute same.

This is not the way law should be practiced especially from a member of the Inner Bar.

In the circumstances this Application and all other Applications filed by Mr. Pwul, SAN are hereby struck out for want of diligent prosecution.

Cost of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) should  be paid personally by Mr. Pwul, SAN to each of the Four Respondents in the Applications and until the said cost are paid no processes filed by the Applicants shall be accepted in any registry of the Court.

For the avoidance of any doubt as earlier stated by Pwul, SAN and agreed to by Mr. Pwajok, SAN, this ruling in addition to CA/J/24/M/2024 also applies to Application number:

1.      CA/J/25/M/2024,

2.      CA/J/26/M/2024 ,

3.      CA/J/227/M/2024 ,

4.      CA/J/28/M/2024,

5.      CA/J/29/M/2024,

6.      CA/J/30/M/2024,

7.      CA/J/31/M/2024,

8.      CA/J/32/M/2024,

9.      CA/J/33/M/2024,

10.  CA/J/34/M/2024,

11.  CA/J/35/M/2024,

12.  CA/J/36/M/2024,

13.  CA/J/37/M/2024,

14.  CA/J/38/M/2024,

15.  CA/J/39/M/2024, and

16.  CA/J/40/M/2024 respectively.

SIGNED:

J. O. K. OYEWOLE, JCA 27/02/2024

A. I. BANJOKO, JCA 27/02/2024

A. B. MOHAMMED, JCA, 27/02/2024