The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has fixed March 18 for ruling on objection raised by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) against a suit filed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE over oil import licence dispute.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the NNPCL,, Ademola Abimbola, SAN, and John Ibrahim (SAN) for Dangote Refinery, John Ibrahim, SAN, had canvassed their arguments and adopted their processes for and against the suit.

The NNPCL counsel, Abimbola moved his objections in urging the court for 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.

Responding, the Dangote Refinery through its counsel, Ibrahim adopted his counter affidavit in urging the court to dismiss the NNPCL’s preliminary objection for being unnecessary.

After listening to the parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until March 18 for ruling.

Dangote Refinery had sued the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) as 1st and 2nd defendants.

Also joined in the suit are AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.

The oil company, through its lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, prayed the court to nullify import licences issued by NMDPRA to the NNPCL and the five other companies for the purpose of importing refined petroleum products.

The company (plaintiff) also prayed the court to declare that NMDPRA was in violation of Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by issuing licenses for the importation of petroleum products.

It stated that such licenses should only be issued in circumstances where there is a petroleum product shortfall.

It equally sought a N100 billion in damages against NMDPRA for allegedly continuing to issue import licences to NNPCL and the five companies for importing petroleum products, among other reliefs.

But in it’s preliminary objection, the NNPCL prayed the court to strike out the case for being incompetent.

It argued that the suit was premature and it disclosed no cause of action against it.

“This honourable court lacks the jurisdiction to hear this suit,” the NNPCL said.

The three marketers; AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, in their response, said the plaintiff did not produce adequate petroleum products for the daily consumption of Nigerians.

Besides, they argued that there was nothing placed before the court to prove the contrary.