By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday fixed March 18 for ruling on the preliminary objection the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) filed against a suit by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE over an oil import licence dispute.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the NNPCL, Ademola Abimbola (SAN), and lawyer to Dangote Refinery, John Ibrahim (SAN), presented their arguments and adopted their processes for and against the suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that last week, Justice Ekwo had fixed yesterday for the hearing of NNPCL’s preliminary objection after Ibrahim told the court that they were yet to file their response to the application.
Upon resumed hearing yesterday, Abimbola informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of their objection and he said they were ready to proceed.
Ibrahim, who said they had filed their counter-affidavit in opposition to the objection, added that he was ready to move their application too.
Moving the application, Abimbola said their notice of preliminary objection, dated and filed on November 15, 2024, sought an order striking out the suit for lack of jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order striking out the name of the company from the suit.
He said an affidavit and a written address were in support of the application.
The lawyer averred that upon receipt of the refinery’s counter-affidavit, they filed a further affidavit on February 3 in response and a reply on points of law.
Abimbola prayed the court to either strike out the suit or the name of the NNPCL from the suit.
But Ibrahim said a five-paragraph counter-affidavit, dated January 31, was filed with a written address.
He adopted the processes and urged the court to dismiss the NNPCL’s preliminary objection for being unnecessary.
After listening to the parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till March 18 for ruling.