By Kayode Lawal
A senior official of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mrs. Fatima Yakubu is facing contempt charges in the Federal Capital Territory High Court for allegedly flouting a court order.
If convicted, Yakubu risks a two-year prison sentence for disobeying lawful judicial directives. The charges stem from a legal battle initiated by four NNPC employees, who are contributors to the NNPC Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The employees had previously secured a court order preventing 14 leaders of the Cooperative Society from assuming any leadership roles. However, despite this, Yakubu, who heads the Human Resources Department at NNPCL, allegedly granted them access to the company’s portal, which they used to organize a disputed election for new cooperative officials.
The contempt case was delayed Wednesday when two lawyers, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Anthony Malik and Andrew Eche, clashed over who rightfully represented the Cooperative Society. In an open courtroom confrontation, both attorneys staked claims to legal representation, sparking an intense back-and-forth.
Malik requested time to settle the dispute privately with Eche, a plea that was echoed by Counsel for the aggrieved employees, George Ibrahim SAN, who insisted the 14 defendants were in contempt and should not participate until they complied with the court’s order. Malik pushed to resolve the legal representation issue swiftly to avoid further delays for his clients.
READ ALSO : Senate may issue arrest warrants on NNPCL, agencies ignoring summons
Eche pointed out that Olalekan Ogunbayo, the Cooperative Society’s president, was present in court to clarify the matter. Malik objected, arguing that such proceedings could lead to public embarrassment, further intensifying tensions in the courtroom.
Justice Charles Agbaza, after listening to both sides, adjourned the case to October 17, giving the lawyers time to settle their differences and for the substantive contempt issue to be addressed.
The four plaintiffs—Eze Onwuneme, Chamberlin Ajagba, Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu, and Bello Mohammed Garba—are pushing for the nullification of the leadership roles allegedly assumed by the 14 defendants. They also seek an injunction to prevent these individuals from presenting themselves as the cooperative’s management until the court rules otherwise.
The defendants include Engr. Josiah Gbemi Omole, Udo Iboro, and several other cooperative members, as well as the NNPC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society itself.
The plaintiffs are adamant in their pursuit of justice, aiming to prevent further violations of the court’s orders and ensure accountability within the NNPC’s cooperative structure.
Credible News.ng
