Buhari appointed him as board chairman of the corporation in September 2021 but he was replaced by Margaret Chuba Okadigbo in January.
Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume, a former senator representing Imo North, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former lawmaker is challenging his removal as a non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
This was seen in court processes filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order reinstating and restoring him forthwith with all the attendant rights and privileges of his office.
Buhari appointed him as board chairman of the corporation in September 2021 but he was replaced by Margaret Chuba Okadigbo in January.
Araraume is also asking the court to award N100 billion in damages to him for the wrongful removal, disruption and interruption of the term of his office as the non-executive chairman of the NNPC Limited.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1621/2022, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited are listed as the first and second defendants respectively.
An order for reinstatement and restoration is one of the issues for determination set out in the originating summons taken out by Araraume’s legal team comprising Chief Chris Uche (SAN), Ahmed Raji (SAN), Mahmud Magaji (SAN), Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), K.C. Nwufo (SAN), Gordy Uche (SAN), Uchenna Anyanwu Esq., Olakunle Lawal Esq., Francis Nsiegbunam Esq., and Mike Uche Esq as listed in the suit.
The originating summons was dated September 12, 2022.
On Wednesday, November 9, Chris Uche, James Onoja, K.C. Nwufo and five other lawyers appeared before Justice Inyang Ekwo in Federal High Court 5 in respect of the matter.
The legal team told the court that the defendants in the suit had been served and that the endorsement of service was before the judge.
However, the judge averted the attention of the plaintiff’s legal team to Order 9, Rule 14 (2b) of Rules of Court on the necessity to join the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a defendant in the matter.
Justice Ekwo ordered that the CAC should be joined as a party since the case had to do with the interpretation of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).
The judge gave the plaintiff’s legal team five days to amend its processes and file the same.
Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the matter to December 15, 2022, for mention, adding that a date for full proceedings in the case would be set at the next sitting.