ABUJA—Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, has appealed the judgement of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  High Court, Abuja, ordering it to pay N5.240 billion to an Abuja-based lawyer, Dr Ted Edwards.

In the notice of appeal before the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja, the bank through its counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN, is asking the appellate court to allow the appeal and set aside the judgement of the lower court made on Monday May 18, 2015, as per Justice Valentine Ashi.

The bank is further praying the appellate court to order the remitting of the matter in suit N0 FCT /HC/CV/939/15 to the Chief Judge of the FCT for transfer to another judge of the FCT for retrial.

The bank is further asking the Appeal Court to stay execution of the judgement of the lower court, pending the determination of the appeal.

The bank is contending in the appeal, that the trial judge erred in law when he held that he had jurisdiction to determine Edwards’ suit.

According to the bank, Edwards had no locus standi to institute the suit as constituted and did not disclose any reasonable course of action against it.

The appellant also contended that the lack of locus standi and/or reasonable course of action on the part of the plaintiff robbed the trial court the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, pointing out that all proceedings conducted without jurisdiction amounted to nullity.

The bank added that the judge erred when he also held that it (appellant) did not disclose a prima facie defence to the first respondent’s suit.