The sacking of the 18 aides of the Chairperson of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Laureta Onochie has continued to generate controversy .
A Federal High Court in Warri has restrained Onochie from executing her executive functions as well as daily administration of the agency while ordering the sack of all her aides.
In a judgment delivered on May 9, Okon Abang, the presiding judge, voided all executive actions taken by Onochie since she assumed office on January 4, 2023.
Delivering judgment in the suit marked FHC/WR/CS/14/2023, the judge held that after due consideration of the relevant provisions of the NDDC Act, 2000 and other documents, it was established that Onochie’s appointment as the chairman of the board on a part-time basis is to oversee and preside over the meetings of the board.
Justice Abang held that the managing director is “statutorily empowered by the NDDC act to perform and wield the executive functions, powers and day-to-day running and management of the commission to the exclusion of other members of the board of the NDDC including the 2nd defendant (Onochie) herein”.
However, the Chairman, DAS Energy Services Limited, in Warri, Chief Sunny Onuesoke rose in defence of the NDDC Chairperson, insisting Onochie only has three aides.
Onuesoke who described Onochie as NDDC Chairperson who means well for the Commission, argued that there was no time Onochie appointed 18 aides, adding that to the best of his knowledge and evidence available to him Onochie appointed only three aides.
While referring to a publication titled, “‘Concoction of lies’ — NDDC debunks claims of proposed 18 Special Assistants against Lauretta Onochie” published in a national newspaper of January 15, 2023, Onuesoke wondered how come the numbers of aides increased to 18.
Quoting the statement in the publication, Onuesoke maintained that the Commission debunked claims “its Chairperson, Lauretta Onochie proposed to have 18 Special Assistants which is brewing a crisis in the commission.
“The NDDC noted that rather than approve of such an increase in personal staff, the Chairperson, Lauretta Onochie insisted on a drastic reduction in the number of aides attached to Board members”, he said.
According to Onuesoke, a statement signed by Ibitoye Abosede, Director, Corporate Affairs, said, “this falsehood is being perpetrated is an indication of a ploy to misinform the public in a bid to distract the Board,
“The truth is that the Chairman insisted on a drastic reduction in the number of aides attached to Board members.
“That this falsehood is being perpetrated is an indication of a ploy to misinform the public in a bid to distract the Board.
“We assure our stakeholders and members of the public that the NDDC Governing Board will neither be distracted nor divided in its resolve to do things differently and make a difference in the Niger Delta”, he quoted the NDDC statement.
Onuesoke said that while he was not disputing the judgment of the honourable court, he felt something was amiss somewhere that was beyond what the eyes can see.
