A civil society group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, and three others have applied for a court order to nullify an interim management committee appointed by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to manage the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission pending the appointment of a board for the commission.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Mr Chino Obiagwu (SAN), argued in the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 1 that the minister lacked the statutory power to make such appointment.

The three-man committee, comprising Dr Gbene Nunieh, as the Acting Managing Director; Dr Cairo Ojugboh as the Executive Director, Projects; and Chief Ibanga Etang, as the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, which was announced on October 29, is due for inauguration on Tuesday.

The plaintiffs filed along with their suit an application for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the members of the three-man committee from taking over, assuming office or performing the functions of the managing director or executive directors of the commission pending the hearing and determination of their suit.

They also sought in the application an order restraining the current management of the commission from handing over to the three-man committee.

In the substantive suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1333/2019, the plaintiffs contended that the appointment of the three-man committee by Akpabio violated sections 2, 10 and 12 of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, etc) Act No. 6 of 2000 (as amended).

They argued that Akpabio could not validly appoint the committee while the list of nominated members of the board of the commission submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari in line with section 2, 10 and 12 of the NDDC Act was awaiting the approval of the Senate.

The co-plaintiffs who jointly instituted the suit alongside NDDC are three citizens who hail from three states in the NDDC’s mandate area.

They are, Iruo Onoruvwe from Delta State, Anatole Osuji from Rivers State and Walter Abere, from Imo State.

The defendants are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the NDDC and members of the three-man interim management committee.

The Human Rights-Bas