Amalgamated Arewa Youth Groups (AAYG) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to clear all hurdles to enable Senator Ifeanyi Araraume resume his position as Non-Executive Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) after being reinstated by the court.
The groups also berated the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society groups faulting the judgment which reinstated Araraume, describing it as ‘unfounded and inappropriate’.
The Director of Media and Publicity at AAYG, Aminu Abbas, who read the group’s position at a news conference, warned that no group, individual or institution has the right to paint the judiciary in bad light. The group argued that the judgment in favour of Araraume ‘was a testament to the fact that Araraume is qualified for the job having served in a related capacity in addition to his two terms of senate experience’.
The statement reads: “…the judiciary is an independent arm of government that operates on the principles of fairness, justice, and the rule of law. The judgment delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo was based on the facts presented before the court and the relevant laws that govern the matter. Therefore, it is not appropriate for the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups, or any other groups or persons to accuse the court of usurping the duties of the Office of the President, or to suggest that the judgment was an affront to the powers of President Muhammadu Buhari. Such statements are not only unfounded, but also inappropriate.
“Senator Araraume has a track record of serving Nigeria without any negative incidents. He was elected twice to represent his constituents in the Senate and was appointed by President Buhari to the Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He underwent security checks by the Department of State Service (DSS) and police, which cleared him for the appointment.
“We, therefore, call on President Buhari to clear all hurdles so that Senator Araraume can resume office, and summon board meetings to possibly ratify resolutions that were taken while he was in court seeking redress.”
