Criticisms have continued to trail the reinstatement of Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume as non-executive chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, Tuesday, voided Ararume’s sack and set aside his removal on January 17, 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari on the ground that the action of the President was unlawful and illegal.
However, a cross-section of Nigerians, who spoke with journalists on the development have condemned the court judgment for setting an undesirable precedence.
For a retired manager in one of the oil companies, the judgement was unacceptable and there was need for the federal government to go on appeal to avoid the precedence being referenced in the future set.
The former top industry player, who spoke on condition of anonymity, pointed out that Ararume was nominated but was neither screened by the National Assembly nor inaugurated as a non-executive chairman of NNPCL.
He argued that, “If the President in his wisdom went back and nullified the nomination of Ararume and nominated somebody else that is not actionable.
“The president may have good reasons for withdrawing his nomination. I think Ararume’s matter or journey ended at nomination stage, it’s not a nomination that was screened and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate.
“It does not warrant going to court because the president has powers to nominate, appoint after confirmation by Senate and even remove.’’
In the same vein, a media analyst, Abu Abdullahi, also criticised Ararume’s action and the court judgment, stating it was in bad taste and self-serving.
“It is in bad taste and a wrong move at that. It should be condemned in totality. Equally, the judgment should be denounced by lovers of this country and our `fragile’ oil industry.
“It could deter some partners from putting their money in the oil sector; the implications of what Ararume has done and the judgment is inimical to the country’s economy.
“I believe the government should go on appeal and challenge the judgment. Ararume did not show respect and gratitude to the President for considering him in the first place to be nominated for the job,” he declared.
Similarly, a one-time union leader in the nation’s oil and gas sector, maintained that the judgment was distasteful and in bad faith.
“Is it everybody that the President nominates that passes through the Senate that were at the end of the day approved?
“If somebody was rejected by the Senate, will he or she now go to court to question his or her rejection?
“What Ararume has done by going to court and obtain judgment in his favour is giving Nigeria a bad image and also sending a wrong signal to the international community because NNPC is now a commercially-driven company,” he said.
