The federal high court sitting in Yenagoa has ordered the federal government to stop the sole administrator from presiding over the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and stop the moves to place the commission under any ministry.
Justice Isa Dashen delivered the ruling on a suit numbered FHC/YNG/CS/135/2021and filed by Niger Delta groups identified as the Wailing Women of the Niger Delta represented by its Coordinator Odighonin Nwadighi Adienbo, the Integrity Friends for Truth and Peace Initiative (TIFPI) led by Livingstone Wechie and nine others against the federal government and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
Dashen granted the exparte order sought by the groups restraining the federal government from placing the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC under any ministry.
The groups, through their lead counsel, Prof. Festus Emiri (SAN), had challenged the legality of the appointment of a sole administrator/interim management committee for the NDDC which they claim is in defiance to the NDDC Act asking the court to invalidate same.
They are also asking the court to order the federal government to publish the forensic audit report on the NDDC which was submitted sometime in 2021 as well as a declaration that the NDDC should be allowed to run independently without being directly placed under any ministry.
At the resumed hearing, the management of the NDDC through their counsel filed a motion seeking that the commission be joined in the ongoing suit.
Justice Isa Dashen, however, adjourned hearing in the suit till May 17,2022 to hear the motion moved by the NDDC for it to be joined in the suit.
The Niger Delta groups in the exparte motion filed before the court are seeking an order that the attorney-general of the federation representing the federal government not place the NDDC under any ministry and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Federal government from constituting an interim/sole administrator board to run the affairs of the NDDC.
They also sought an order of the court together with all processes filed be served on the federal government to afford the federal government to afford them the opportunity as why this application should not be granted.
