A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restored Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as non Executive Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL .
The Court voided the sack of the Ararume and set aside the removal done on the 17th of January this year, by President Muhammadu Buhari on the grounds that the action of the President was arbitrary, unlawful and illegal.
Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo awarded a cost of N5 Billion against Buhari and NNPCL to be paid to Ararume as damages for the wrongful sack and disruption of his appointment.Justice Ekwo ordered that Ararume be immediately restored to office as non Executive Chairman of the NNPCL.
The Judge also declared as null and void all decisions of the Board of Directors of the NNPCL carried out in the absence of Ararume.Ararume had dragged President Buhari before the Court praying it to declare his removal as NNPC Chief illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional and that it is a total breach of CAMA law under which NNPCL was incorporated.
Apart from asking the court to issue an order to return him to office, Ararume also demanded N100 billion as compensation for the damages he suffered nationally and internationally in the unlawful way and manner his removal was carried out by President Buhari.