Former chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Ifeanyi Ararume, has slammed a N100 billion suit on President Muhammadu Buhari at a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful removal of his name as a non-Executive Chairman of the newly Incorporated Nigeria National Petroleum Company.
Punch reports that Ararume is demanding such claims from the Federal Government as damages that caused him in the alleged unlawful and unconstitutional ways and manners he was removed as the NNPC chief after using his name to incorporate the entity.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/691/2022 was instituted on his behalf by seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria comprising Chief Chris Uche, Ahmed Raji, Mahmud Magaji, Ogwu James Onoja, K.C Nwufor and Gordy Uche.
Araraume, in the suit, formulated four issues for determination by the court among which was whether, in view of the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the NNPC, Companies and Allied Matters Act 2010 and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the office of the non-Executive Chairman is not governed and regulated by the stated provisions of the law.
He also asked the court to determine whether, by the interpretation of section 63 (3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the President can lawfully remove him as non-Executive Chairman of the NNPC for any reason outside the provisions of the law.
The Imo State-born politician also wants the court to determine whether Buhari can sack him without compliance with expressly stated provisions of the Articles of Memorandum of Association of the Company, section 63 (3) of the PIA Act 2021 and section 288 of the CAMA Act 2020.
Also listed for determination was whether his purported removal letter of January 17, 2022, without compliance with expressly stated provisions of the law is not wrongful, illegal, null and void and of no legal consequence whatsoever.
He requested for N100 billion as damages for the wrongful removal, disruption and interruption of his term of office as non-Executive Chairman of the NNPC, and therefore, prayed the court to award him N100Billion naira compensation and to order his return to office in line with the letter and conditions 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.