Aaior K. Comfort

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama has adjourned the hearing of a leadership dispute within the Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited until November 8. The decision comes as the court prepares to consider a motion from 15 defendants seeking to disqualify Justice Charles Agbaza from presiding over the case due to alleged bias.

During the proceedings, Justice Agbaza noted that the court would also address the motion filed by the defendants, who claim a lack of confidence in the judge’s ability to deliver an impartial verdict. The defendants, represented by a legal team led by Mr. Ibrahim Idris, SAN, argued that prior interim orders issued by the judge reflected bias against them, undermining their right to a fair trial.

In their motion, the defendants expressed concern that the judge’s conduct during the hearings, particularly regarding an order made on October 3, indicated a prejudgment of the case. This order required Mr. Lekan Ogunbayo to clarify his role as the President of the Management Committee of the Cooperative, which had been previously challenged by the claimants.

The defendants maintained that the fundamental issue of the suit revolves around the legitimacy of Ogunbayo’s tenure, which had been terminated by the Cooperative’s Congress. They criticized the court for extending an interim injunction without hearing their side, labeling it a denial of fair hearing and a perversion of justice.

The case, marked as FCTHC/ABJ/CV/260/2024, was initiated by four members of the Cooperative—Eze Onwuneme, Chamberlin Ajagba, Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu, and Bello Mohammed Garba—against several defendants, including Engr Josiah Gbemi Omole and Udo Iboro, among others, along with the NNPC Ltd Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society itself.

In a related development, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr. George Ibrahim, SAN, indicated that he would withdraw a contempt charge against Mrs. Fatima Yakubu, the Director of the Human Resources Department of NNPCL, regarding allegations that she violated the court’s interim orders. The court will reconvene on November 8 to hear all pending applications related to the dispute.