The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital has been asked to restrain the federal government from recognising the member representing the state on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Gbenga Edema.
The Ugboland oil and gas-producing host communities asked the court to restrain Edema from parading himself as a member of the governing board of NDDC.
In the suit filed by the incorporated trustees of Ugboland oil and gas-producing host communities, Apostle Jayeola Oladipupo, Adeokan Omofele, and Omoyele Irapada, said the nomination was contrary to Section 2(1)(B) of the NDDC establishment act, 2000.
Edema, being from Ogogoro in Ilaje local government area does not qualify him as a member of the intervention agency as the community is not an oil-producing area.
The suit has as defendants the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the attorney- general of the federation, the Minister of Niger Delta, the permanent secretary of the Minister of Niger Delta, and Edema.
The communities through their lawyer, Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, has dragged the Federal government to court over the nomination of Edema as a member of NDDC even though he is not from the oil-producing area of the state.
At the hearing of the suit, the oil-producing communities asked the court to retrain Edema from participating in any government board meeting or committee meeting of the NDDC, taking any decision whatsoever, either jointly or singly affecting, touching, and concerning the duties and office of the representative of the state in the NDDC.
The oil communities which host Chevron Nigeria, they said did not include Ogogoro where Edema hails from.
The lawyer to the Ministry of Niger Delta, Mr Sadiq, and that of Edema, Blessing Aluma sought an extension of time to file their reply and objection to the suit challenging the nomination of the state representative of the NDDC board.
The trial judge, Justice T.B. Adegoke fixed June 5, 2023 for the hearing of the motion of interlocutory application.
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