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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Elders, youth groups and stakeholders from the Niger Delta region have urged President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana O. Umana to immediately suspend or sack the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Effiong Akwa over allegations of using a third party to file frivolous lawsuits against the Federal Government in order to keep him in office until May 2023.
Some persons had on Friday August 19 dragged the Federal Government to court praying the latter to restrain the former from terminating his tenure.
The suit listed the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Honourable Attorney General and Minister for Justice, the Honourable Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as defendants.
Akwa’s tenure as interim tenure had long expired and stakeholders have been mounting pressure on the Presidency to constitute a substantive board since the appointment of interim administrator is unknown to the NDDC Act.
The Niger Delta Stakeholders, through its Secretary – General, Chief Anthony Loveday, in a statement via electronic mail, alleged the use of third party to file lawsuits and injunctions in the Federal High Court, Abuja judicial division to restrain the Federal Government as a ploy to keep Akwa in office until 2023.
The statement read in part, “Allies of Mr Akwa have filed a case, and they plan to serve all defendants including the presidency on Monday the 22nd August 2022 or latest on Tuesday the 23rd August. They intend to use the court’s injunctions to tie-down the hands of the President and the Minister of Niger Delta to frustrate them into resolving to manage Akwa as interim administrator until May 2023.
“They have some high profile allies in the Ministry of Justice that will direct the ministry lawyers to stall and sabotage the cases by employing delay tactics and adjournments until May 2023. However, during this period of judicial intervention, no substantive NDDC board can be appointed and inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari until the courts are done with their cases, because the status-quo must be maintained.
“This is devastating for the suffering people in the Niger Delta region. These politicians are only thinking of their personal interest and how to remain in office by any means necessary, they are not thinking about the people.”
