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General News of Thursday, 22 July 2021

Source: naijanews.com

Buhari confirms sacking of Bala-Usman as NPA managing director

Hadiza Bala-Usman Hadiza Bala-Usman

President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed the sacking of the embattled Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman.

Naija News reports that this was confirmed in an affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in a suit brought against him by the Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited, Asu Beks, and two others on July 12.

The suit marked FHC/L/CS/485/2021 is challenging Buhari’s powers to constitute the NPA Board and appoint the Executive Directors without recourse to the NPA Act.

According to the plaintiffs, the president also prematurely reappointed Hadiza Bala-Usman six months to the expiration of her tenure.

The affidavit, which was filed as Buhari’s preliminary objection to the suit was signed by Agan Tabitha of the Civil Litigation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, on behalf of Buhari’s counsel.

According to Buhari, the alleged reappointment of Hadiza Bala-Usman has since been terminated and the instant suit was overtaken by the event of that termination.

The president, through his counsel, said that Asu Beks lacks the locus standi to bring the case, arguing that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

“We submit that it is clear from the Plaintiffs’ affidavit, the questions for determination as well as the reliefs sought. It is obvious that the Plaintiffs neither suffered any injury as a result of the act or omission of the 1st Defendant,” Buhari said.

“It is also evident that the claim against the Defendants is that the court should declare the alleged action of the 1st Defendant re-appointing, nominating and setting up of board of NPA illegal as it contravenes sections 2 and 10 NPA Act Cap N126, LFN 2004, even without stating that they have suffered any personal damage beyond any other person as a result of the said appointment.

“It is our submission that the Plaintiffs here do not possess the requisite locus standi to institute this action. Locus standi denotes the right of a party to institute an action in a court of law.”

The plaintiffs in the suit are Asu Beks, Tompra Abarowei, and Miebi Senge as first to third plaintiffs respectively.

The first to fourth defendants are Buhari, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Hadiza Bala-Usman, and the Chairman NPA Board, Emmanuel Adesoye, respectively.