Four attorneys have approached the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, searching for an ex parte order to droop the Executive Vice President, Downstream, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mumuni Dagazau, pending the conclusion of an investigation by the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).
The go well with, marked M/15759/2026, was filed by Ejike Onukaogu, Gloria Ezeji, Daniel Edeachi and Akor Friday, who need the court docket to find out whether or not Dagazau can lawfully stay in workplace whereas going through legislative scrutiny over allegations of corruption, cash laundering, abuse of workplace and associated issues.
In an originating summons, the claimants additionally requested the court docket to find out whether or not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a constitutional obligation to take steps to droop the NNPCL government within the curiosity of transparency, accountability and the integrity of the continued investigation.
They argued that quickly relieving Dagazau of his duties would assist defend the investigation from precise or perceived interference.
The attorneys contended that his continued train of the powers hooked up to the workplace, beneath the circumstances outlined within the go well with, raised considerations that warranted judicial intervention.
Among the reliefs sought, the claimants requested the court docket to restrain Dagazau from performing the duties and features of Executive Vice President, Downstream, pending the conclusion of the House of Representatives committee’s investigation.
They additionally sought an order directing the President, the NNPCL Board of Directors or every other applicable authority, as decided by the court docket, to take the mandatory steps to droop the manager whereas the investigation lasted.
The claimants additional requested the court docket to find out whether or not his continued occupation of the workplace was in line with the ideas of equity, accountability and the safety of the general public curiosity.
They urged the court docket to think about whether or not interim measures had been essential to safeguard the legislative investigation and protect public confidence within the establishments liable for managing the nation’s petroleum assets.
The go well with was filed by their counsel, Samuel Momoh. No date has been mounted for its listening to.
Speaking with journalists on the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Onukaogu, who represented the group, mentioned the allegations had been severe sufficient to warrant Dagazau’s short-term withdrawal from workplace whereas the investigation continued.
He mentioned the go well with, filed on Wednesday, was meant to guard the integrity of the investigation initiated by the House of Representatives Committee on the Petroleum Downstream Sector.
Onukaogu clarified that the attorneys had been neither searching for Dagazau’s resignation nor suggesting that he was responsible of any wrongdoing. Rather, he mentioned, they needed him to step apart to advertise transparency and public confidence within the investigative course of.
“Nobody has proved any guilt against him. So he should step aside in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation against him,” he mentioned.
