Editor
A Director at the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mrs Fatima Yakubu, has been accused of contempt of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for purportedly breaching the court’s directives.
If proven guilty, the director could potentially face a prison sentence of two years for disregarding a lawful court order.
The contempt charges were brought against her by four NNPC employees who are members of the NNPC Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The aggrieved employees, through a lawsuit labeled FCTHC/ABJ/CV/2640/2024, secured a court order from the Abuja high court that prohibited 14 leaders of the NNPC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society from presenting themselves as officials of the society.
Justice Charles Agbaza, in response to an ex-parte application from the four employees, also prohibited the 14 individuals from taking any actions regarding the leadership of the Cooperative Society or declaring themselves as its officers.
Despite the court order, Mrs Fatima Yakubu, who oversees the Human Resources Department of the NNPC, allegedly granted access to the NNPC portal to the 14 individuals. They used this access to conduct what was claimed to be an election for the Cooperative Society’s officers.
During the legal proceedings, the contempt charge was unable to proceed due to a dispute between two lawyers over who should legally represent the NNPC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The two lawyers, including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) named Anthony Malik and Andrew Eche, engaged in a heated argument in court regarding their representation of the Cooperative Society.
In the ensuing drama, the senior lawyer, Anthony Malik, requested Justice Charles Agbaza to allow him and the junior lawyer, Andrew Eche, time to resolve the issue of legal representation outside the courtroom.
Counsel for the aggrieved four employees, George Ibrahim SAN from Ogwu James Onoja and Associates, intervened and informed the court that the 14 individuals being sued were in contempt and should not have a voice until they rectify their contemptuous actions.
The senior lawyer urged the court to swiftly address the legal representation matter to avoid further delays in his clients’ case.
Meanwhile, Eche drew the court’s attention to a previous order for Olalekan Ogunbayo, the President of the Cooperative Society, to be present in court to clarify the issue of lawful legal representation for the society, and Ogunbayo was indeed in court.
Recognizing the potential consequences, Malik SAN objected to this course of action, arguing that it could lead to his embarrassment and insisted on resolving the matter with the junior lawyer outside of court.
In a concise ruling, Justice Charles Agbaza adjourned the proceedings until October 17 to resolve the legal representation issue and address the substantive matters at hand.
The four plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Eze Onwuneme, Chamberlin Ajagba, Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu, and Bello Mohammed Garba.
The defendants include Engr Josiah Gbemi Omole, Udo Iboro, Ituah Aikhena, Osondu Ibeji, Farouk Achimugu, Prince Etuwewe, Nura Bello, Michael Adejoh, Sambo Abdulaziz, Vincent Orji, Saint Kamvene, Braimoh Sunday Joseph, and Galadima Immanuel.
The remaining defendants are Engr Iliya Yusuf, Musa Garba Abubakar, and the NNPC Ltd Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society in Abuja.
The plaintiffs sought an order annulling the alleged appointments of the 2nd and 3rd defendants as President and General Secretary of the 16th defendant, as well as the 4th and 15th defendants as members of the Management Committee.
They also requested an injunction restraining the 1st Defendant, his associates, agents, or anyone acting on his behalf from acknowledging or implementing the roles of the 2nd-15th Defendants as President, General Secretary, and members of the Management Committee of the 16th Defendant.
Furthermore, they asked for a perpetual injunction prohibiting the 2nd-15th Defendants and their representatives from representing themselves as the Management Committee of the 16th Defendant.
