Petralon 54 Limited has strongly refuted a media report concerning the Appeal Court's stance in the ongoing Dawes Island Field dispute, labeling the coverage as misleading and factually incorrect. The company specifically challenged claims that an interlocutory appeal it had filed caused a prolonged delay in the proceedings of Suit No. FHC/L/CS/479/18.
Misrepresentation of Facts
Through its legal representatives, Pinheiro LP, Petralon stated that the article 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 the actual events in the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal regarding license claims tied to the Dawes Island Field. The company emphasized that the appeal in question, CA/LAG/PRE/ROA/1079M/25, was filed in October 2025, making it impossible for it to have caused years of delay in a case that had been pending for a longer period.
No Stay of Proceedings
Petralon further clarified that since the filing of the appeal and up to the most recent court session in May 2026, the substantive suit had been heard multiple times in the lower court without any application for a stay of proceedings due to the appeal. The company maintained that it took no action to halt the trial, contrary to what was reported. Instead, Petralon attributed the delays to the claimant, Makmera, citing repeated adjournment requests and a lack of readiness to proceed with the trial on several occasions.
Adjournments by Claimant
The solicitors pointed to the proceedings of May 5, 2026, where counsel for Makmera reportedly informed the court of an inability to proceed due to the unavailability of a senior counsel, leading to an adjournment to October 13, 14, and 15, 2026. Petralon also disputed 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 rather adjourned the matter to October 12, 2026, for hearing.
