Court Threatens To Jail Senate President For Confirming Lauretta Onochie As NDDC Chairman

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has threatened to jail Senate President Ahmad Lawan for disobeying an order stopping him from confirming Special Adviser on Social Media to the president, Lauretta Onochie and Samuel Ogbuku as Chairman and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission respectively.

 

The court in a notice of consequences of disobedience dated December 23, 2022, gave a warning to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ahmad Lawan, Lauretta Onochie and others.

 

The notice read, ‘’Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

 

The court also stopped President Buhari from swearing in Onochie and Ogbuku.

 

Recall that the Senate last week screened and confirmed Onochie and Ogbuku as Chairman and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission respectively.

 

The court had earlier granted an order stopping the National Assembly from screening and confirming the nomination of Onochie and Ogbuku.

 

The presiding judge, Justice J. K. Omotosho, instructed that all actions on the matter be suspended pending the determination of the suit.

 

Among other things, the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2294/2022 is seeking a restraining order on the National Assembly from screening and confirming the duo.

 

The plaintiffs, Chief Edward Ekpokpo Esq., and Victor Wood who are both representing the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought and Mr Edward Omagbemi who is presenting Omadino Unity Forum all on behalf of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality are challenging the nomination on the grounds that it is the turn of the Itsekiri nationality to occupy the positions.

 

The first to sixth defendants in the suit are President Buhari, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Malami; Senate President, Lawan, Lauretta Onochie and Samuel Ogbuku.

 

The suit filed by Ama Etuwewe SAN & Co., demands that the provisions of the NDDC Act should be followed in the process.

 

It maintained that it is the turn of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality to produce the NDDC board chairman and MD as arguably the biggest oil-producing community in Delta State.

 

The presiding judge, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to January 11, 2023, for further hearing, after reading the affidavit and hearing the counsel to the plaintiff.

 

He said, “That leave is hereby granted to the plaintiffs to serve the 5th and 6th defendants with the originating processes in this suit by substituted means to wit by advertising the processes in at least one national newspaper circulating within the jurisdiction of this to court and to deem the same as proper service.