Challenging the Judgment: Kaztec Engineering Limited Appeals Ruling on Oil Mining Licenses
Kaztec Engineering Limited, a domestic oil and gas company, is currently pursuing legal recourse against a recent judgment rendered by Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court Abuja. This decision pertains to the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and several other parties regarding Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 123, 124, 126 and 137.
Subsequent to the ruling on December 15, Kaztec Engineering has formally filed a Notice of Appeal with the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal. The appeal, spearheaded by a legal team led by Jeph C. Njikonye (SAN), is primarily aimed at challenging the decision to dismiss the company’s lawsuit.
In its submission, Kaztec Engineering implores the appellate court to invoke specific legal provisions and assume jurisdiction over the case. The company contends that the trial court erred in its judgment when it dismissed its lawsuit due to the non-joinder of Salvic Petroleum Resources Ltd. It argues that the joint award of the contested OMLs was intended to involve Kaztec on equitable terms, and thus maintains that it has a distinct cause of action against the respondents.
Furthermore, the appellant asserts that the absence of evidence for a signature bonus payment does not render the court incompetent to entertain the lawsuit. According to the legal team, the lower court’s earlier rulings had upheld the appellant’s valid cause of action against the respondents. Additionally, it underscores that the non-joinder of Salvic Petroleum Resources Ltd did not impede Kaztec’s cause of action.
The appellant draws attention to the issues submitted to the lower court for interpretation, and also asserts that the payment of the signature bonus would only become relevant if the award to Kaztec is reinstated. It maintains that the requirement for payment of the signature bonus does not preclude the initiation of the lawsuit under the current circumstances.
However, the lower court had issued an interim order for the parties involved in the lawsuit to maintain the status quo regarding the OMLs in question. Nonetheless, the court ultimately ruled that the Originating Summons was incompetent due to the failure to include a necessary party (Salvic Petroleum) in the lawsuit.
In light of these developments, the appeal lodged by Kaztec Engineering Ltd has effectively suspended further action on the subject matter until the appeal is conclusively determined.
By seeking recourse through the appellate court, Kaztec Engineering Limited is affirming its rights under the law and steadfastly pursuing a fair resolution to the dispute.
