By Jerome-Mario Utomi
It is no longer news that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, October 31, 2024, dismissed the lawsuit filed by some members of oil-producing communities in Bayelsa and Delta states seeking to nullify Mr Chiedu Ebie’s appointment as Chairman, Governing Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), on the grounds that his appointment violated the NDDC Act.
The Plaintiffs claimed in their suit that Ebie is not from an oil-producing area with the highest production quantum in the Niger Delta.
However, delivering her judgement, Justice Abdulmalki held that given section 24(2) of the NDDC Act, the plaintiffs had no locus standi. The section read, “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law or enactment, no suit shall lie against any member of the Board, the Managing Director, or any other officer or employee of the Commission for any act done in pursuance or execution of this Act or any other law or enactment, or of any public duty or authority or in respect of any alleged neglect or default in the execution of this Act or such law or enactment, duty or authority, shall lie or be instituted in any court.” It was on this premise that the court dismissed the suit in its entirety.
Indeed, while the judgement in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/28/2024, filed January 11, 2024, which saw no illegality in the appointment of Chiedu Ebie as the NDDC Chairman and confirmed that Mr President and the National Assembly acted within the ambit of the law, may have come and gone, the dust and excitement the outcome elicited among Niger Deltans in particular and Nigerians in general will continue to resonate.
Essentially, Mr Chiedu’s reaction to the judgement added a fillip to the excitement.
Aside portraying him as noble and a man of peace and with unalloyed respect for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Judiciary as an uncompromising dispenser of truth and justice, Ebie’s reaction to the verdict, more than anything else cast him as someone that has no enemies to fight.
Ebie’s reaction to the court judgement also portrayed him, in the estimation of right-thinking Niger Deltans in particular and Nigerians in general, as a public officer not given to narrow-mindedness or possessing divisive tendencies.
Beginning with respect for Mr. President and the Judiciary, Ebie described the ruling as well-considered, intelligently delivered and courageously sound, noting that “the judiciary has once again proved that justice is never lacking in the Temple of Justice”. He expressed delight that the ruling has finally laid to rest every ambiguity, innuendo, half-truth and misrepresentation of facts surrounding the provisions of NDDC Act on appointments.
Continuing, Ebie added that the judgment was a resounding watershed and underscored President Bola Tinubu as a foresighted leader reputed for acting in total compliance with extant laws when it comes to appointments into public office.
As a people oriented leader, Ebie displayed uncanny sportsmanship and magnanimity in the face of victory. As won’t many in his shoes, Ebie was not magisterial or triumphal; he never cast aspersions nor draw more battle lines via inflammatory statements or taunt his adversaries.
Rather than do all these, Ebie dedicated the legal victory to God Almighty and all Niger Deltans of goodwill, and extended a hand of fellowship, calling on all critical stakeholders to join hands with NDDC governing board and management to consolidate the significant shift in the region’s infrastructural and socio-economic developmental trajectory. His words: “The judgement is remarkable and will further spur our dedication in leadership to make invaluable contributions to the development of the region and I congratulate all Niger Deltans on the verdict.”
Ebie further stressed the need for holistic and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region has become overwhelmingly urgent and urged all stakeholders to shun divisiveness and rally around the present governing board and management in sustaining the unprecedented peace and harmony within the Commission which has become the hallmark of the present leadership since its inauguration about 11 months ago.
“Looking at the level of peace and harmony that have existed among members of the governing board and management, I am confident that we will continue to excel and reach new heights of excellent quality service delivery to the region and its people,” he stated.
“I call on all Niger Deltans to shun all forms of distractions through frivolous litigations that distract the Commission’s governing board and management and, in its place, imbibe the virtues of commitment and other positive attributes needed for fostering peace and unity, promoting innovation for impactful strides for advancing the development of the region”, Ebie further maintained.
Ebie’s people-centred and youth-friendly leadership did not escape the attention of the Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC) as the group, shortly after the judgement rolled out the drums to celebrate him and his legal victory.
The youth group whose membership cuts across all ethnic nationalities that make up the Niger Delta region had earlier, petitioned the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, urging the learned justices to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit as the motive behind it was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the progress and development of the region.
Addressing journalists shortly after the verdict, the National Coordinator of NDYC, Engr. Jator Abido in the company of Comrades Solomon Adodo, Victor Udoh and Beke Apere variously hailed the judgement as a win for the good people of Niger Delta who are in dire need of development following years of maladministration and neglect of the oil-rich region especially as it grapples with environmental degradation, pollution and loss of livelihoods.
Engr. Jator profoundly commended Justice Abdulamalik and all the learned justices of the High Court as well as Ebie’s legal team “for standing on the path of truth and fairness”. He also commended the people of the Niger Delta for their unwavering support for the NDDC Chairman.
On his part, Comrade Adodo described the judgement as “historic”, adding that, “today, we celebrate the triumph of unity, fairness and justice. It is our earnest appeal to stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to desist from distracting our leaders. Dragging them from one court to another cannot help our region as all hands must be on deck to salvage our region from the many challenges besieging it”
According to Apere, “the judiciary is indeed the last hope of the common man. Today, our enemies have failed and those who seek to divide us are once again put to shame. The Niger Delta region cannot afford to be hijacked by a few selfish elements. It is now time to join hands and uplift our dear region”.
In his brief remarks, Comrade Udoh Victor thanked Mr President, the Senate President, and the Attorney-General of the Federal for standing up against those he described as “the bullies that sought to hijack the people’s common good”. He assured President Tinubu of the support and loyalty of the Nigerian youths to his administration, as he pledged to work with NDYC and other youth groups to mobilise massively come 2027 in appreciation for the determination and courage shown towards delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda”
Evidently, Ebie’s reaction to his legal victory was not only exemplary but underscored the need for public servants to at all times exhibit exhilarating leadership qualities worthy of emulation by their subordinates and the younger generation.
Utomi, a media specialist writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached via [email protected] or 08032725374