A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has fired 18 aides chosen by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chairperson, Lauretta Onochie.
The court ruled that Onochie exceeded her authority by appointing them.
She was forbidden from interfering with the duties of the commission’s Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, by the court.
Dr. Mike Oberabor filed the declaration in a suit on behalf of himself and the Oberabor Oreme-Egbede family of the Olomoro community of Isoko South Local Government in Delta State.
The first, second, and third defendants are the NDDC, Onochie, and Ogbuku.
Following several actions by Onochie that the plaintiff claimed were in violation of the NDDC Act 2000, the plaintiff requested an interpretation of the Act.
The verdict was given by Justice Okon Abang, according to a document signed by the Court Registrar, Anigboro Enonuya.
According to Justice Abang, after considering the requirements of the NDDC Establishment Act 2000 and the circular issued by the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on January 16, Onochie would oversee and preside over board meetings on a part-time basis.
The judge ruled that the managing director, as the NDDC’s main executive and accounting officer, is responsible for the day-to-day operation and management of the organization.
He held that Onochie’s unilateral decision to appoint 18 aides in her office and the demand for an executive office in the commission are in contravention of relevant provisions of the NDDC Act and the circulars released by the Federal Government on the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claims.
Justice Abang held: “The third defendant as Managing Director of the NDDC is the person statutorily empowered by the NDDC Act to perform and wield executive functions, powers and day-to-day running and management of the commission to the exclusion of other members of the board of the NDDC, including the second defendant (the chairman).”
“All actions of the second defendant, including but not limited to the appointment of her personal aides carried out in the exercise of executive functions and powers in the NDDC since her assumption of duty on January 4, 2023, are ultra vires her powers and therefore null and void and of no consequences whatsoever.
“The second defendant is restrained from carrying out/and or exercising any executive functions in the NDDC.
“The second defendant is further restrained from interfering with the third defendant’s (MD’s) executive functions, powers, day-to-day running and management of the NDDC.”
The court also awarded a cost of N100,000 against the board chairman, payable to the plaintiff.
The judgment was dated May 9, 2023, but the certified true copy of the same was obtained on Monday.
