The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) may appeal the restoration of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as the company’s non-executive Chairman.
This was contained a statement on Wednesday by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President Muhammadu Buhari.
The President stated that he has taken due notice of judgment by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which reinstated Ararume, adding that his administration respects the Rule of Law, and nothing will be done outside the law, to resolve the matter.
Buhari while noting that the Office of the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister for Justice is yet to receive a formal copy of the ruling, stressed that due judicial process will be followed, and that the NNPCL has already taken steps to go on appeal.
The President sued for calm from all sides involved in the matter.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday reinstated Ararume as NNPCL non-Executive Chairman.
The Court voided his sack and set aside the removal done on January 17, 2022 by President Buhari on the ground that the action of the President was unlawful and illegal.
Delivering judgement in a suit instituted by Ararume, Justice Ekwo awarded N5 billion damages against Buhari and NNPCL to be paid to Ararume for his wrongful sack.
Justice Ekwo ordered immediate restoration of Ararume to office as non-Executive Chairman of the NNPCL.
The judge also declared null and void all decisions of the Board of Directors of the NNPCL carried out in the absence of Ararume.
Ekwo held that President Buhari acted ultra vires, wrongful, illegal, null and void with the conclusion of the supplementary elections into the National Assembly across the country on Saturday, the 10th Senate has now been fully composed.
All the 109 senatorial districts now have representatives in the upper chamber of the National Assembly on the ways and manners Ararume was sacked after using his name to register NNPCL and that such brazen act cannot stand in the face of the law.
Ararume had sued Buhari, praying the Court to declare his removal as NNPC Chief, illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional and that it is a total breach of the CAMA law under which NNPCL was incorporated.
Apart from asking the court to issue an order to return him to office, he also demanded N100 billion as compensation for damages he suffered all these while following his removal by President Buhari.
