NDDC Board: Lori-Ogbebor Sues Buhari, Lawan, Malami, Akpabio, Others

Rights advocate, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has asked a Federal
High Court, Abuja, to restrain President Muhammadu Buhari;
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and Senate
President, Ahmad Lawal from inaugurating a new board for Niger
Delta Development Commission, NDDC, pending the release of the
findings of the forensic audit of the agency, Vanguard reports.

Other defendants in the suit are Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, GodswillAkpabio, and Clerk of the National Assembly.

The plaintiff, in the suit by her counsel, wants the court to
stop the defendants from raising a new board for the commission
except the forensic audit report is made public.

She is praying the court to determine whether, by the provisions
of the NDDC Act 2017, President Buhari can exercise his powers,
control and supervision over the NDDC by issuing a directive
ordering a forensic audit of the activities of the NDDC from 2001
to 2019 and whether the president is bound to receive the report of
the forensic audit and act on same before taking any further steps
in constituting or reconstituting the board for the NDDC.

She, consequently, wants the court to restrain President Buhari
from constituting or reconstituting the board for NDDC or
appointing anybody or person into board pending the completion of
the forensic audit ordered by him (Buhari) and a receipt of the
said report from Akpabio.

“An order of this court restraining the President from acting on
any advice with regard to constituting the NDDC board without
receiving a copy of the audited forensic report and thereafter
immediately issuing a White Paper on same.

“An order restraining the Senate President from receiving a
nomination from President Buhari with a view to screening and
confirming the appointment of any person or persons as board
members of the NDDC pending the completion and presentation of the
audit (report) ordered by him (Buhari).

“An order restraining Akpabio, by himself or anybody, whosoever
acts through him, from interfering with the conduct of the forensic
audit in a manner inconsistent with the order of the
President.”

No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.

Rights advocate, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has asked a Federal
High Court, Abuja, to restrain President Muhammadu Buhari;
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and Senate
President, Ahmad Lawal from inaugurating a new board for Niger
Delta Development Commission, NDDC, pending the release of the
findings of the forensic audit of the agency, Vanguard reports.

Other defendants in the suit are Minister of Niger Delta
Affairs, GodswillAkpabio, and Clerk of the National Assembly.

The plaintiff, in the suit by her counsel, wants the court to
stop the defendants from raising a new board for the commission
except the forensic audit report is made public.

She is praying the court to determine whether, by the provisions
of the NDDC Act 2017, President Buhari can exercise his powers,
control and supervision over the NDDC by issuing a directive
ordering a forensic audit of the activities of the NDDC from 2001
to 2019 and whether the president is bound to receive the report of
the forensic audit and act on same before taking any further steps
in constituting or reconstituting the board for the NDDC.

She, consequently, wants the court to restrain President Buhari
from constituting or reconstituting the board for NDDC or
appointing anybody or person into board pending the completion of
the forensic audit ordered by him (Buhari) and a receipt of the
said report from Akpabio.

“An order of this court restraining the President from acting on
any advice with regard to constituting the NDDC board without
receiving a copy of the audited forensic report and thereafter
immediately issuing a White Paper on same.

“An order restraining the Senate President from receiving a
nomination from President Buhari with a view to screening and
confirming the appointment of any person or persons as board
members of the NDDC pending the completion and presentation of the
audit (report) ordered by him (Buhari).

“An order restraining Akpabio, by himself or anybody, whosoever
acts through him, from interfering with the conduct of the forensic
audit in a manner inconsistent with the order of the
President.”

No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.