THE lingering litigation over a $3.8 billion Egina oil platform project between the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) and Samsung/Total took a fresh twist  as LADOL, that the first defendant, has accused Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), of  breaching an earlier ruling by Justice Chukwu Jeku Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, that parties maintain status quo pending the determination of the suite.

Counsel to LADOL, Professor Fidelis Oditah (QC, SAN), had told the court that despite the court order of January 24, 2014, Samsung,   had on February 27th and 28th 2014, made presentations to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), of its plans to replace LADOL with another company as its third party local content partner for the project.

The contract awarded to Samsung Heavy Industry and LADOL by Total for the integration of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) platform otherwise known as Egina project to be cited at LADOL base in Lagos, assumed litigation following alleged schemes by Samsung to exclude the indigenous firm from the juicy job.

The development is coming even as the fourth defendant in the Suite, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Recourses, again failed to make representation at the court’s proceedings.

Others joined in the suite are, Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (Total), and the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Justice Aneke who frowned at the alleged breach of his order for parties to maintain the status quo, was apparently not taken by the defense counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), in his claim of ignorance of his client’s presentation to NNPC.