Petralon 54 Limited has strongly refuted a recent media report concerning the Appeal Court's stance on the Dawes Island Field dispute, labeling the publication as misleading and inaccurate. The company specifically contested claims that an interlocutory appeal it filed caused a multi-year delay in proceedings under Suit No. FHC/L/CS/479/18.
Clarification on Appeal Timeline
According to its legal representatives, Pinheiro LP, the report published on May 22, 2026, with the headline "Appeal Court Clears Way for Trial as Makmera Revives 49% Equity Claim in Dawes Island Field," misrepresented key facts about ongoing litigation before the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal regarding license claims tied to the Dawes Island Field. Petralon emphasized that the appeal in question, referenced as CA/LAG/PRE/ROA/1079M/25, was filed in October 2025, making it impossible to have caused prolonged delays in a case that had been pending for years.
No Stay of Proceedings
The company further stated that since the appeal was filed and up to the most recent court session in May 2026, the substantive suit had been heard multiple times at the lower court without any application for a stay of proceedings due to the appeal. Petralon maintained that it took no action to halt the trial, contrary to the report's assertions. Instead, it attributed delays to the claimant, Makmera, citing repeated adjournment requests and lack of readiness to proceed with trial on several occasions.
Adjournment Due to Counsel Unavailability
The solicitors pointed to the proceedings of May 5, 2026, where Makmera's counsel reportedly informed the court of an inability to proceed due to the unavailability of a senior counsel, leading to an adjournment of the matter to October 13, 14, and 15, 2026. Petralon also challenged the report's claim that the Court of Appeal dismissed its appeal on April 14, 2026. It clarified that the appellate court did not dismiss the appeal but adjourned the matter to October 12, 2026, for hearing.
