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Hearing in an N100 billion suit instituted against President Muhammadu Buhari, over alleged unlawful removal from board, was for the second time, stalled at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The Eastern Updates reports that the plaintiff, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, had instituted an N100 billion suit against President Buhari, over his alleged unlawful removal as non-executive chairman of the newly-incorporated Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Besides Buhari, the NNPCL, and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), are second, and third defendants respectively.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on December 15, 2022, fixed definite hearing for January 11, after ordering all parties to file and exchange necessary processes.
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Hearing in the matter could not go on during the December sitting of the Court, because parties were yet to be served with all necessary processes regarding the matter.
However, yesterday’s proceedings was stalled after it was discovered that the NNPCL was yet to file its counter affidavit to the suit.
When the matter came up yesterday, NNPCL’s lawyer, Mr. Etigwe Uwa, SAN, informed the court of a preliminary objection he filed against the suit, and asked the court to proceed with its hearing as its determination may likely put an end to the substantive matter.
But Ararume’s lawyer, Chris Uche, while objecting, reminded the judge of his last order; that all processes must be filed and exchanged by parties before January 11, 2023.
Uche, therefore, urged the court to proceed to hear the main suit as agreed upon by parties during the December 15, 2022 proceedings.
Responding, Justice Ekwo, drew Uwa’s attention to the practice direction of the Federal High Court to the effect that both the substantive matter,and any preliminary objection must be taken together in order to save Judicial time of the court.
