Sack Buhari As Petroleum Minister, Agbakoba Tells Court

*Says President Holds 2 Executive Offices

Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has filed a suit before the Abuja Federal High Court, seeking the immediate sack of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Olisa relied on Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution in filing the suit.

Advertisement

The section outlaws the president from “holding any other executive office or paid employment.”

The SAN also argued that against the constitutional requirement that all ministers must be screened by the Senate before assuming office, President Buhari assigned himself the portfolio without any screening.

Agbakoba urged the court to determine “whether, by virtue of Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution, the President can hold the office of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, without confirmation by the Senate of the National Assembly?”

The human rights activist also blamed President Buhari for the recent disagreements between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru.

Advertisement

“I verily believe that the governance chaos in the NNPC could not have occurred if the President is not also the Minister of Petroleum Resources,” Agbakoba said.

“I am aware that the NNPC provides up to 90 percent of the revenue accruing to Nigeria.

“I am worried that the crisis in the NNPC will greatly reduce Nigeria’s revenue-generating capacity and will affect the revenue distributable to federal, state and local governments in Nigeria. This will gravely affect development nationwide and drastically impact one and all Nigerians including those in Anambra State (my state of origin) and Lagos State (my state of residence).

“I looked at Section 138 of the 1999 Constitution and I verily believe it disqualifies the President from holding executive office including that of the Minister of Petroleum, during his tenure of office as President.

“I also know that the President did not go through nomination process and confirmation by the Senate, before holding the office of Minister of Petroleum Resources

Advertisement

“I again looked at Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution and I verily believe it prohibits anybody from holding the office of a Minister of the Federation, without confirmation by the Senate,” he said.

Leave a comment

Advertisement