Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Tuesday exchanged words over an application seeking to stop hearing in the suit on the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) opposed Ferdinand Orbih (SAN)’s attempt to argue the application to stay proceedings in the suit before an Abuja Federal High Court pending the determination of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Orbih, who claimed to have been briefed by the Ahmed Makarfi-led executive of the party, made case on the right to appeal an earlier ruling of the court nullifying the caretaker committee.
While Akintola vehemently objected to his continuing the submission on the grounds he was not served the papers, Orbih insisted he must go on.
“I will not allow myself to be bullied. You are a bully!” Orbih said.
“I am not a bully, you are the one being unprofessional and unethical!” Akintola replied.
The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, cautioned the lawyers not to be emotional in the matter.
“This is a court of law. Apart from this court, you also have Court of Appeal and Supreme Court to go to if you are dissatisfied,” he said.
Justice Okon Abang had on July 29 nullified the Makarfi-led, caretaker committee as illegally constituted, adding that all the actions taken by it, including the appointment of legal representation, were unlawful, null and void.
He observed that there were two orders of Federal High courts in Lagos on May 12 and 20, which barred the PDP from taking steps on the tenure of Ali Modu Sheriff, adding that the orders were still subsisting when the party held its national convention in Port Harcourt on May 21.
This was after Akintola and Olagoke Fakunle (SAN) appeared for the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party, and asked the court to refuse any representation for the Makarfi faction.
