From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Amalgamated Arewa Youth Groups (AAYG) on Monday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to clear all hurdles to enable Senator Ifeanyi Ararume to resume his position as Non-executive Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) after being reinstated by a Federal High Court, Abuja.
The groups also frowned at the position of the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society group faulting the Court ruling that reinstated Ararume, describing it as “unfounded” and “inappropriate”.
The Director, Media and Publicity, AAYG, Aminu Abbas, who read the position of his group before newsmen during a press conference held at popular Arewa House, Kawo, Kaduna, warned that no group or individual, or institution has the moral right to paint Nigerian judicial authority in bad light having delivered judgment based on the fact before it by contending party(ies).
The group further argued that the Court ruling in favour of Ararumen was a testament to the fact that Ararume is eminently qualified for the job having served in a related capacity in addition to his two terms of senate experience.
According to Abbas, “the attention of the Amalgamated Arewa Youth Groups has been drawn to a press statement credited to the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups wherein they faulted the Federal High Court judgment that restored Senator Ifeanyi Araraume as the non-Executive Chairman of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“In its position, that group claimed that the decision of the court was a clear violation of the principle of separation of powers and a disregard for the authority of the President to make appointments and dismissals in the interest of the nation”.
He continued; “Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, held that Araraume’s removal by Buhari contravened provisions of the extant laws governing the operations of the NNPC Ltd, including the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 as well as the Company’s and Allied Matters Act 2020.
“The judge consequently made an order reinstating Araraume as the Non-Executive Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board with immediate effect.
“It is important to note that the judiciary is an independent arm of government that operates on the principles of fairness, justice, and the rule of law. The judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo was based on the facts presented before the court and the relevant laws that govern the matter.
“Therefore, it is not appropriate for the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups or any other group or groups, person or persons to accuse the court of usurping the duties of the Office of the President or to suggest that the judgment was an affront to the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari. Such statements are not only unfounded but also inappropriate.
“Senator Araraume has a track record of serving Nigeria without any negative incidents. He was elected twice to represent his constituents in the Senate and was appointed by President Buhari to the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission.
“He underwent security checks by the Department of State Security Service and the Nigerian Police Force, which cleared him for the appointment.
“We, therefore, wish to call on President Buhari to clear all hurdles so that Senator Araraume can resume office, and summon board meetings to possibly ratify resolutions that were taken while he was in court, seeking redress”, he said.
He however called on “those who are aggrieved by the ruling of the Federal High Court to take advantage of the Appeal and Supreme Courts to ventilate their disagreement with the judgment and stop this unnecessary coordinated campaign in the media to disparage the judgment of the court.”