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Court Overrides Buhari, Reinstates Sacked NDDC IMC

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4 years ago

Jan 21, 2021.

An Abuja Federal High Court has set aside an order dissolving Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

During court proceedings on Wednesday, the presiding judge, Justice A.R. Mohammed debunked claims that Prof. Daniel Pondei-led IMC was sacked.

Mohammed dismissed legal action instituted against IMC by the Incorporated Trustees of Forum for Accountability and Good Governance on January 13, 2021.

Consequently, he ordered the reinstatement the Pondei-led IMC of the commission.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 12, 2020 dissolved dissolved the NDDC IMC.

Buhari, hinging his move on a court injunction, had ordered that an interim sole administrator take over the affairs of the Commission on the

However, the Justice Muhammed-led Court insisted that the NDDC IMC was never dismissed.

The court stated that, “that there was no order for interim injunction (against the IMC) granted by this court”.

The court also ordered in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/617/2020 that two media houses correct the erroneous story.

According to Court documents, the leave sought by the plaintiffs did not amount to an injunction but a permission to sue which was allowed but now stands struck out by subsequent findings of the court in January, 2021.

With the latest development, it remains to be seen if President Buhari would reinstate the Prof Pondei-led IMC of NDDC since the president initial action was was at the behest of Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who advised him to sack the interim management.