President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja setting aside the removal of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
According to a statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the President noted that although the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation /Minister for Justice is yet to receive a formal copy of the ruling, he affirmed that due judicial process will be followed, and NNPCL has already taken steps to go on appeal.
“The Administration respects the Rule of Law, and nothing will be done outside it to resolve the matter, the President says.
“He sues for calm from all sides involved,” the statement read.
Buhari had appointed Araume as board chairman of the national oil firm in September 2021, but he was later sacked and replaced with Margaret Chuba Okadigbo in January the following year.
Ararume, a former senator representing Imo north had sued the president, arguing that his sack was “wrongful,” and amounted to “disruption and interruption” of the term of his office.
In a judgement delivered on Tuesday, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, ordered that the former senator be reinstated as a non-executive chairman of the NNPC, with all rights and privileges due to him.
The court also set aside all decisions made by the board after the removal of Ararume from January 2022 till date. The sum of N5 billion was also awarded as damages in his favour.
