NNPC’s no counter affidavit stalls Ararume’s N100bn suit against Buhari

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

Hearing on the N100billion suit filed by Senator Ifeanyi Ararume against President Muhammadu Buhari, was yesterday stalled as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) failed to file a counter-affidavit.

The Senator dragged Buhari to the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging his alleged unlawful removal as Chairman of the Board of NNPC after using his name to register the entity at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

When the matter which was billed for hearing was called yesterday,  counsel to NNPC, Mr Etigwe Uwa, SAN, informed the court that he had only filed a preliminary objection against hearing of the suit and not a counter affidavit to the substantive suit. 

Consequent to the above, Uwa asked the judge to proceed with hearing of his preliminary objection and determine it one way or the other before coming to the substantive matter.

However, counsel to Ararume, Chief Chris Uche SAN, reminded the judge his order on 15 December, 2022, that all processes must be filed and exchange by parties before Wednesday’s proceedings.

He therefore, urged the court to proceed to hear the main suit as agreed upon by parties during the last December proceedings.

Justice Inyang Ekwo however, 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 taking together in order to save Judicial time of the court.

The court maintained that he would not proceed with hearing of the preliminary objection alone until counter affidavit to the main suit has been filed in compliance of the Court. 

On the bench ruling, Justice Ekwo granted the NNPC another opportunity to do the needful and warned parties to always comply with order of court.

Meantime, the court adjourned  to January 23 as definite date for hearing on the matter.