Judge Withdraws From Suit Challenging NDDC Board

Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State has recused himself from the suit before him challenging the composition of the new board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

Justice Abang in the suit by Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, son of Nigeria’s first Finance Minister, Festus Okotie-Eboh, and others said since he is from the Niger Delta, he would want the matter be reassigned to a judge preferably that is not from the region. He, thereafter, directed that the file be sent to the Chief Judge for reassignment .

The plaintiffs, Okotie-Eboh and others, had on behalf of indigenes and members of oil and gas producing communities of Itsekiri ethnic extraction in Delta State sought the court to, among others, restrain the new board of the NDDC from implementing the budget of the commission.

Their counsel, Robinson Ariyo at the resumed hearing in the matter, yesterday, told the court that the matter before it was ripe for hearing.