Agbakoba Asks Court to Remove Buhari As Petroleum Minister

By Sunday Okobi

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to remove President Muhammadu Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Agbakoba, in a suit which the Attorney-General of the Federation is also listed as a respondent, asked the court to determine the constitutional qualification of the President to also hold executive office as petroleum minister.

The lawyer cum rights activist, according to a statement issued by his Chambers and made available to Yellowstone Media on Monday, argued that on the basis of section 138 of the constitution, disqualifying the president from taking any paid employment or holding executive office of Minister of Petroleum Resources, the president cannot hold office as Minister of Petroleum Resources.

His other argument is that in any event, the President’s appointment as Minister of Petroleum Resources was not confirmed by the Senate of the National Assembly, as stipulated by section 147(2)of the constitution.

The affidavit supporting Agbakoba’s claim also stated that the determination of the questions in the claim are of vital national importance, in view of the governance chaos at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

He has requested the court to return answers that the President is not validly qualified to be Minister of Petroleum Resources and in any event the President is also disqualified to be Minister of Petroleum Resources, not having been confirmed by Senate.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for hearing of the matter.