A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday has moved forward hearing on the title sponsorship case filed by Total Promotions Limited to next Tuesday, February 22, 2011.
The court judge, Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, was forced to adjourn the suit following the tussle over the representation of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), which is a defendant in the case.
Two lawyers turned up in court claiming to be the counsel representing the NPL.
One of the lawyers is from the chambers of AU Mustapha, I. Obanna, while the other is Barrister Emmanuel Oboh.
Both of them refused to agree on who to represent the NPL thereby stalling Thursday’s hearing of the case.
Justice Murtala-Nyako told the two parties to decide on the legal representative of the NPL ahead of the hearing next week.
“My understanding of this matter is that you are dealing with a very sensitive organisation and it is better for the suit to be resolved one way or the other speedily,” said the judge.
In a related development, another company, Globacom Nigeria Limited, has filed a motion requesting to be joined in the title sponsorship suit as a party.
Details of the reason for filing to be joined as a party in the case by Globacom Nigeria Limited remain unknown.
Total Promotion Limited had filed the case with suit No FHC/L/CS/68/2011 challenging the cancellation of the Premier League title sponsorship contract earlier awarded to its client, MTN Nigeria Limited.
Apart from the NPL as defendant in the case, the sports minister, Professor Taoheed Adedoja and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) named as the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) are also joined in the suit.
It would be recalled that the NPL congress had cancelled the contract award to MTN Nigeria Limited through Total Promotions Limited and ordered a fresh bidding process within two weeks.
But Justice Murtala-Nyako on January 31 ordered that status quo be maintained in the matter until the suit is determined.
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