Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, has recused himself from the case before him, which is challenging the composition of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s new board of directors.
In the suit filed by Prince Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, son of Nigeria’s first Finance Minister, Festus Okotie-Eboh, and others, Justice Abang stated that because he is from the Niger Delta, he would like the case reassigned to a judge who is not from the region. Following that, he 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.