Experts: Ararume Has no case, matter ‘ll be thrown out at a Higher Court!
By Charles Adingupu
Left in the lurch for almost three months, reprieve may have come the way of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government as non-Executive Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, 18th April, 2023 ordered his reinstatement.
Sources reveal that Ararume’s name was purportedly put forward for the plum job by then Transportation Minister, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi. Ararume is believed to be a strong ally of the former Minister.
The court in its ruling, set aside his sack by President Buhari, which happened 17th January, 2023.
It would be recalled that Ararume had dragged the Federal government and some ot its agencies including the NNPC Limited to court praying it to declare his removal as the NNPCL Chairman illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
The sacked NNPC Limited Chairman had maintained that it was a total breach of the provisions of the CAMA law under which the NNPC Limited was incorporated for him to be unceremoniously booted out of office without the concurrence of the company’s shareholders.
He also prayed the court to issue an order to return him to office while also demanding that the sum of N100 billion be paid to him as compensation for the damages he had suffered nationally and internationally.
Delivering judgement, Justice Inyang Ekwo voided Ararume’s sack and awarded N5bn as damages against the federal government and the NNPCL, stressing that tye sum should be paid for the disruption of Ararume’s appointment on the ground that the action of the President was arbitrary, unlawful and illegal.
The judge ordered that Ararume be immediately restored to office as the non-executive chairman of the NNPCL.
The judge also declared as null and void all decisions which the Board of Directors of the NNPCL carried out in the absence of Ararume as Chairman of the Board.
Justice Ekwo held that President Buhari acted ultra vires, wrongfully, and consequently ruled that Ararume’s sack was null and void because the ways and manners he was axed from the Board after using his name to register the NNPCL, amounted to a violation of the CAMA rules and corporate protocols. Such an action according to Justice Ekwo cannot stand in the face of the law.
It would be recalled that Ararume was initially announced as Chairman of NNPC Limited but was later booted out of office unceremoniously. In his place, Senator Mrs Margery Chuba-Okadigbo was appointed as Chairman of the Board. The Board was later inaugurated at a colourful ceremony by President Buhari in Abuja. Irked by this development, an embattled Ararume headed to court for adjudication.
However, in a swift reactions, some experts say Ararume has no case stressing that the matter will be thrown out at a superior court of competent jurisdiction.
According to them, Ararume has no reputation that was damaged as he “a litany of bad issues hanging on his neck.”
Sources reveal that Ararume’s name was purportedly put forward for the plum job by then Transportation Minister, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi. Ararume is believed to be a strong ally of the former Minister.
