Seplat Energy, an indigenous Nigerian oil and gas company, has announced that its CEO, Roger Brown, will be stepping aside temporarily from his role.
This comes after a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered Brown to vacate his position as CEO, banning him from using proxies, privies, and agents from acting on his behalf.
The court made the ruling on Wednesday after some stakeholders petitioned the court, alleging that Brown had been discriminating against Seplat’s Nigerian workers.
Moses Igbrude, Sarat Kudaisi, Kenneth Nnabike, Ajani Abidoye, and Robert Ibekwe, the aggrieved stakeholders, accused Brown of racism and claimed that he favoured foreign workers in the country.
They also alleged that Brown cancelled some catering and landscaping contracts and introduced a new job performance rating.
However, Seplat Energy has refuted the allegations, stating that Nigerian nationals have been appointed to the company’s most important positions, including Chairman, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer since Mr. Brown became CEO in 2020.
In a statement sent to shareholders on Friday, Seplat disclosed that Brown will no longer be carrying out his duties as the firm’s CEO, with Samson Ezugworie, the Chief Operating Officer of the firm, discharging the responsibilities.
“Seplat Energy Plc reports that on March 9, 2023, it was served with court processes and ex-parte Interim Order of the Hon Justice C. J. Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, Nigeria, restraining the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Brown from participating in the running of the Company [for a period of 7 days],” the statement reads.
Seplat Energy also stated that “The Order allows the Chairman, Mr. Basil Omiyi, and all the INEDs of Seplat Energy to continue running the affairs of the Company on the basis that it is in accordance with Nigerian law. Mr. Brown has delegated authority to Mr. Samson Ezugworie, Chief Operating Officer, to act as CEO during the period that he is required to step back from his executive duties.”
The company remains focused on its core business of exploring and producing oil and gas in Nigeria and is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all its workers, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity.
