Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has fixed March 18 for ruling on the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)’s preliminary objection against a suit filed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE over oil import licence dispute.

Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the NNPCL, Ademola Abimbola, SAN, and lawyer to Dangote Refinery, John Ibrahim, SAN, presented their arguments and adopted their processes for and against the suit.

Justice Ekwo had fixed Wednesday for the hearing of the NNPCL’s preliminary objection after Ibrahim told the court that they were yet to file their response to the application.

At the resumed hearing, Abimbola informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of their objection, and he said they were ready to proceed.

Ibrahim, who said they had filed their counter affidavit in opposition to the objection, said he was ready to move their application too.

Moving the application, Abimbola said their notice of preliminary objection, dated and filed on November 15, 2024, sought an order striking out the suit for lack of jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order striking out the name of the company from the suit.

He said an affidavit and a written address were in support of the application.

The lawyer said upon receipt of the refinery’s counter affidavit, they filed a further affidavit on February 3 in response and a reply on points of law.

He prayed the court to either strike out the suit or the name of the NNPCL from the suit.

Responding, Ibrahim said a five-paragraph counter affidavit, dated January 31, was filed with a written address.

He adopted the processes and urged the court to dismiss the NNPCL’s preliminary objection for being unnecessary.

After listening to the parties, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter to March 18 for ruling.