The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has sought to amend its suit against the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and other defendants.

The request to amend the suit came after an application by the NNPC before Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge at the Federal High Court in Abuja, urging the court to strike out the case.

In a motion on notice dated November 25 and filed on November 28 by Ogwu Onoja, the oil company’s lawyer, the refinery sought an order granting leave to amend its originating summons in accordance with the rules of the court.

According to NAN, the refinery stated that the amendment would allow it to correct the name of the second defendant to read “Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited,” instead of “Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC)” as previously listed.

In his affidavit supporting the motion, Vincent Sani, a litigation clerk at the Onoja law firm, said that he was informed by one of the lawyers, Innocent Adoo, on November 25 that after the filing of the originating processes in the suit, it was observed that the 2nd defendant’s name had been misspelled, thus necessitating the amendment.

Sani explained that the amendment was necessary to ensure the record of the court accurately reflected NNPC’s proper name as a party in the suit.

• ‘NNPC YET TO BE SERVED’

The litigation clerk also stated that the NNPC had yet to be served with the originating processes that were to be amended.

He added that the proposed amended originating summons, supporting affidavit, and written address were marked as “Exhibit A.”

Sani, who argued that the defendants/respondents would not be prejudiced if the application were granted, said that justice would be better served if the plea was considered.

The NNPC had earlier asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to strike out a suit filed by Dangote Refinery, which sought the withdrawal of its import licence.

The company argued that the “Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC)” cited by the refinery was a non-existent entity.

Three oil marketers had also petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja, requesting the dismissal of the suit filed by Dangote Refinery, which sought to withdraw their licences.

The marketers—AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited—were parties in the case.

Dangote Refinery had previously asked the Federal High Court to void import licences issued to NNPC Limited, Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and four other companies.

The company had also prayed for a declaration that the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) was in violation of Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by issuing licences for petroleum product imports.

Ekwo had scheduled January 20, 2025, for the report on settlement or service.