Niger Delta leaders drag Buhari to court on NDDC tenure extension

Six Niger Delta leaders have dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to court following controversies surrounding the tenure of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The board led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba as Chairman and Nsima Ekere as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer has embroiled in tenure crisis.

The leaders who seek legal interpretation of the board’s tenure are Micah Akeems, Bayelsa; Ziprebo Emomotimi, Bayelsa; George Ufot Udoyara, Akwa Ibom; Elliot Tibakeni, Bayelsa; Unyeowaji Patterson Gabriel, Rivers; Patrick Stephen Abia and Alphonsus James Bayelsa.

The plaintiffs in a suit filed at the Federal High court sitting in Abuja, sought a clear interpretation of the NDDC Act as it relates to tenure and rotation.

In the suit, filed on December 15, 2017 and originating summons dated 16th of April, 2018, and made available to the Nation, the plaintiffs sought the determination of whether the Niger Delta Development Commission Act, 2000 is binding on all the defendants?

They specifically want a decision on whether the defendants can in line with the NDDC Act, 2000 appoint/reappoint the Managing Director (of the Commission) whose letter of appointment is only for a one year term which will terminate in December 2017 or elongate the tenure outside the provision of Section 3 of the NDDC Act, 2000.”

The plantiffs also sought the following reliefs among others from the court: “an order of court to halt any attempt to retain the Managing Director and other members of the Commission;

“An order of court compelling the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to appoint the Managing Director of the NDDC from Bayelsa State in accordance with Section 12 (1) of the NDDC Act, 2000, which supports the principle of rotation of key offices of the Commission.”

The plaintiffs said: “It will be a mockery of the NDDC Act, 2000 to disregard the said Act and not to follow the rotational principle as envisaged and contemplated in the intent and spirit of the said Act.”

In an affidavit in support of the Originating Summons, Micah Akeems, the First Applicant, stated that since the establishment of the NDDC, the appointment/reappointment of Managing Directors had been on the principle of rotation.

He added that the tenure of the immediate outgoing or outgone Managing Director of the NDDC ended in December 2017 in accordance with his letter of appointment.

It was gathered that the suit came up for hearing on April 16, 2018, before Justice Anwuli Chikere and had the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs represented in court.

The President and NDDC were, however, not represented.

The court was said to have adjourned the matter to May 21 following an observation that NDDC was not properly served.

The Summon was reportedly sent to the NDDC office in Abuja rather than the headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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