Ifeanyi Ararume, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, has criticized a N100 billion lawsuit filed against President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) in a federal high court in Abuja over the alleged illegal removal of his name from the newly incorporated Nigeria National Petroleum Company’s board of directors.
He is requesting compensation from the Federal Government for the harm that he alleges was caused when he was allegedly dismissed as the head of the NNPC after using his identity to incorporate the company.
On his behalf, seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including Chief Chris Uche, Ahmed Raji, Mahmud Magaji, Ogwu James Onoja, K.C. Nwufor, and Gordy Uche, filed the lawsuit with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/691/2022.
In the lawsuit, Araraume formulated four issues for the court to decide on, one of which was whether the office of the non-Executive Chairman is not governed and regulated by the stated provisions of the law in light of the NNPC’s memorandum and articles of association, the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2010, and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
In addition, he asked the court to rule on the legality of the President’s removal of him as non-executive Chairman of the NNPC for any cause not covered by the legislation under the interpretation of section 63 (3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
The lawmaker from Imo State also asks the court to rule on Buhari’s ability to fire him in defiance of explicitly stated clauses in the company’s articles of association, section 63 (3) of the PIA Act 2021, and section 288 of the CAMA Act 2020.
The question of whether his alleged removal letter from January 17, 2022, did not violate any specifically specified legal requirements and is therefore invalid and without any legal effect was also on the list of issues to be decided, as well as to mandate his return to duty in accordance with the letter and terms of his appointment.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered that the Corporate Affairs Commission be joined as a party following no objection from Chief Chris Uche (SAN) who stood for Ararume and Alhasan. Shuaib who represented President Buhari.
Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed December 15 for further mention in the suit and ordered that the amended originating summons be served on parties before the adjourned date.
