- Mr. Roger Brown
By Anthony Nwachukwu
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke has set aside its earlier interim ex-parte orders restraining the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Mr. Roger Brown, from participating in the management of the company.
The interim ex-parte orders were in relation to a petition in Suit No. FHC/L/CP/402/23 filed by purported stakeholders of the company.
Seplat has maintained that the petition was based on false allegations and remained confident that the judicial process would uncover the true facts.
The interim orders, which were granted by the same court on March 8, 2023, restrained Brown from participating in the management of the company, were subsequently challenged by the company through its counsel.
After listening to the parties’ arguments, Justice Aneke on March 23, 2023 fixed ruling on the matter for March 30, 2023.
In the light of the argument, the court had directed that all respondents/applicants, including the parties affected by the interim orders, to make their arguments on why the interim orders should be set aside.
However, the ruling fixed for March 30th was rescheduled for Thursday April 6, 2023 due to what the learned judge described as overload of administrative duties of his office, which contributed to slowing down the process.
In his ruling vacating the court’s earlier interim orders Thursday, Justice Aneke, citing relevant authorities, declared that the petitioners have the locus standi to file the suit.
He also ruled that the Federal High Court has jurisdiction to entertain the suit, contrary to positions canvassed by the respondents.
With Thursday’s vacation of the court’s earlier interim ex-parte orders, Mr. Brown is now free to participate in the management of Seplat Energy Plc in his capacity as the Chief Executive Officer of the dual-listed energy company.
Meanwhile, the court has set aside May 16, 2023 to hear the substantive suit and other legal arguments associated with the case.
