NDDC Board: Will Onochie Lose Out Again As Court Stops Her Confirmation And Ogbuku’s

By Adesina Soyooye

Will President Aide, Lauretta Onochie lose another plum job offered to her by her boss, President Muhammadu Buhari?

If she does, that will be the second time such fate would befell her.

Months ago, Buhari had, to the shock of not a few people, nominated Onochie, a very vocal aide, and a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a Commissioner on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The nomination sparked an outrage. Petitions went to Senate from all corners, condemning her nomination, and asking the Senate to reject her nomination.

The protesters had their way.  Onochie was rejected by the Senate. Now, a few months after, Onochie faces another rejection of her nomination to a plum job.

Buhari, a couple of weeks ago appointed her as the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and Chief Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director, amongst other nominees. He forwarded their names to the Senate for screening.

But Onochie’s appointment is again stuck.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has halted her confirmation and that of Ogbuku by the Senate.

The Court ordered evety action on their confirmation  suspended, until the determination of a suit filed by Chief Edward Ekpokpo Esq., Engr. Victor Wood (both representing the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILOT) and Mr. Edward Omagbemi (representing Omadino Unity Forum) on behalf of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

The suit is challenging the nomination of Onochie and Ogbuku as Chairman and MD of the intervention Commission. It was filed on Monday, December 12.

The plaintiffs in the suit,   Chief Ekpokpo Esq., Engr. Wood and Mr. Omagbemi, in the suit, has President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the House of Senate, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie and Chief Samuel Ogbuku as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants.

The originating summons,  suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/2294/2022,is seeking,  among others, a restraining order on the National Assembly from screening and confirming  Onochie and Ogbuku as substantive Chairman and MD of the NDDC board.

Filed by Ama Etuwewe SAN & Co., on behalf of the plaintiffs, the suit says that the provisions of the NDDC Act has not been followed in the process.  It insists that it is the turn of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality “being the highest oil producing community in Delta state,” to produce the NDDC Board Chairman and MD.

It posited that the rights of the Itsekiri people are being “threatened” by the nomination and confirmation of the Onochie and Ogbuku.

The Judge, Hon. Justice J. K. Omotosho, upon reading the affidavit and listened to  Counsel to the plaintiff, ordered “that the reliefs relating to Interim injunction are hereby refused.

“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 same as proper service.

“That an order is hereby made that no party in this suit shall take any step or act or action that may make the outcome of the pending motion on notice for injunction Dated and filed 12th December 2022, nugatory.

“That any act or step or action taken in this order to make the outcome of the said motion on notice dated and filed 12th December, 2022 nugatory shall be a nullity”.

Further hearing was adjourned to February 11, 2022.