Ten lawyers who are asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to grant them leave to appeal against the judgment that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan should start exercising the powers of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua　pending his recovery and return to office yesterday told the court that the country is sitting on a precipice and that the Vice President should be pronounced the "Acting President" now.

Lead counsel to the appellants, Chief Nkereuwem Udofia Akpan, who is also the first appellant/applicant in a motion on notice asked the court headed by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Abutu that in view of the sensitive nature of the suit, the matter ought to be given accelerated hearing in other for them to possibly secure the leave of the court to appeal against the January 13, 2010 judgment which also added that the VP is already discharging the functions of President Yar’Adua in a delegated capacity.

The remaining nine appellants/applicants are Eremosele Imonite Omo-Ojugo, Abayomi Famuyiwa, Charity Ogumu, David Okokon, Eshiet Nkiruka Itumo, Eboikpomwen Eki Jenniffer, Daniel Osilama Legogie and Chief Udofia Akpan Udoh.

Chief Nkereuwem Akpan is seeking leave of the court to enable them appeal against the said judgment of the court.

In buttressing his point in a 21 paragraph affidavit in support of the motion, the 1st appellant/applicant, said that Justice Abutu did not make all the necessary orders in his judgment of January 13, 2010.

According to him, "the judgment of the trial court did not fully determine all the ancillary yet fundamental issues of power vacuum in the presidency and the drifting Nigerian state".

Meanwhile, counsel to Christopher Onwuekwe, Amobi Nzelu, said that he hopes to oppose the application seeking leave to appeal the said judgment, saying he is yet to see the basis of appealing.