The Federal Government has urged the Court of Appeal to reverse the April 18 judgment by the Federal High Court, Abuja ordering among others, the reinstatement of Ifeanyi Ararume as the Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).
The Federal Govt also faulted the N5billion damages awarded in Ararume’s favour in the judgment given by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, arguing that he (Ararume) did not establish his entitlement to such a huge compensation.
The government’s position is contained in an eight-ground notice of appeal filed in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by a team of lawyers from the Federal Ministry of Justice, led by Tijani Gazali (SAN).
Ararume had sued the Fed Govt on September 12 last year to challenge then President Muhammadu Buhari’s reversal of his appointment as the Non-Executive Chairman of the NNPCL via a letter dated January 17, 2022.
In his April 18, 2023 judgment in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1621/2022, Justice Ekwo faulted Buhari’s action, ordered Ararume’s reinstatement and awarded N5b damages in his favour.
The Fed Govt, in its notice of appeal, challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to have heard the case, and also queried the competence of the suit, arguing that it was statute barred.
In its first ground of appeal, the Fed Govt faulted the trial judge for assuming jurisdiction over the case which borders on the withdrawal of Ararume’s appointment as the Non-Executive Chairman of the NNPCL.
It argued that under the provision of the National Industrial Court (NIC) Act and Section 254(c) of the Constitution, the NIC has the exclusive jurisdiction in civil matters bordering on labour and employment.
