Ilaje people ask court to stop Buhari from inaugurating NDDC board

Stakeholders in the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have asked the Federal High Court (FHC) to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from inaugurating the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board.

The plaintiffs want the inauguration put on hold pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

They are led by ex-Clerk of the National Assembly and Chairman, Board of Trustees of Ugboland Development Congress, Asiwaju Oluyemi Ogunyomi.

Others are Mr. Adebowale Karaki, Dr. Mann Ali, a Trustee and Secretary of Ugboland Development Congress, respectively.

The rest include the Incorporated Trustees of Ilaje Advancement Forum, Messrs Idowu Mafimisebi, Olaniran Obele and Ige Asemudara, all lawyers representing Ilaje Lawyers Forum.

In the suit filed on January 3 at the FHC Abuja by Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), the litigants are seeking an order restraining the President from swearing in Charles Ogunmola as Executive Director of Projects.

They insist Ogunmola is from Owo in the Northern axis of Ondo and not an indigene of the oil-producing area.

Other defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Senate, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Ogunmola.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit served upon the President and the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Last month, the Niger Delta Development Front (NDDF) condemned the opposition to buhari’s nomination of Ogunmola.

The Senate confirmed Ogunmola, presidential aide Lauetta Onochie and other NDDC board nominees on December 20.