News

Restrain Oyo Govt, NGF, Others from Paying Consultancy Fee to Law Firm, Femi Kehinde & Co Tells Court

Published

4 years ago

October 12, 2020

Eric

The Principal Partner of Femi Kehinde and Co, Honourable Femi Kehinde, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja to restrain the Oyo State Government, Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF) and three others from making any payment as it relates to professional or consultancy fee in respect to foreign loan recovery.

Kehinde had sued Ned Nwoko’s law firm, the Oyo State Government, Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Governor’s Forum, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and five others over the refusal of the law firm to pay 40 per cent of the sum of N1 billion paid to it by the Oyo State Government, through the Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Governor’s Forum.

The Plaintiff, having heard of plans by the Federal Government to pay consultancy fee in respect of the foreign loan recovery to the fourth Respondent in the matter (Linas International Limited), approached the court with a motion on notice seeking an interlocutory injunction to halt the payment pending the hearing and determination of the main suit.

A lawyer in the law firm of Bola Aidi and Co, Fashina Oyindamola, averred in a further affidavit that the Plaintiff wrote to the Accountant General of the Federation, the CBN and the Ministry of Finance to halt the planned payment of the Consultancy Fee in view of the substantive suit pending in the Court.

According to the Affidavit, the plaintiff will lose the opportunity to benefit from the judgment if it turns out in his favour, if the money is paid to the Fourth Defendant.
“It will be in the interest of Justice to restrain the fifth to tenth defendants as it relates to professional or consultancy fee in respect of foreign loan recovery, being the subject matter of the suit before the court.

“That the justice of this matter to all parties is for the court to order the payment of the said sum of $68 million to the account of this court pending the determination of the substantive suit,” Oyindamola stated in the affidavit.

She told the court that the application will not be prejudicial to the interest of the Defendants if granted, adding also that it will be in the interest of justice to grant the application.

Kehinde had in a writ of summons numbered- FHC/ABJ/CS/212/20, filed through his counsel Bola Aidi prayed the court to order Ned Nwoko Solicitors to pay him, “the sum of N400 million,” being 40 per cent of the N1billion (first tranche) paid to the first Defendant (Ned Nwoko) solicitors as legal fee for services rendered by same as it relates to Oyo State Government for the recovery of foreign debts.

The plaintiff also prayed the court, for an order compelling the first Defendant, which is a registered law firm with the Law Society of England to pay him 20 million which is 40 per cent of the consent judgment as well as another £159,098 incurred as expenses procuring an arbitration in a London court.

He also wanted the court to order the fifth to tenth Defendant to pay him 40 percent of all the subsequent tranches of the professional fees due to the first to fourth defendants on the Oyo State foreign debt recovery or deduction from the local governments in Oyo State and for the Court to order the Defendant to pay him N20 million for prosecuting this suit.

The plaintiff said in a statement of claim that the first defendant engaged his services in 2007 to handle all issues pertaining to Oyo State Foreign debt and that the condition of his engagement as agent to the first defendant was dependent on the first Defendant being appointed as solicitors to the Oyo State Government to recover its foreign debts within four weeks.

He averred that the conditions as contained in a retainership letter as a local attorney on March 24, 2007, include collation of all information and documentation of the various loans and agreement s since 1982, provision of support needed by Ned Nwoko Solicitors, including litigation in any Nigerian court in any matter arising from proposed contract with Oyo State among others.

“The retainership agreement state clearly that the plaintiff with be entitled to 40 per cent of whatever received from m the Oyo State Government and that remains the Understanding parties.”

He said Oyo State government refused to comply with the terms of agreement and did not pay Ned Nwoko Solicitors, a situation he said made the first defendant to give the plaintiff the go ahead to commence arbitration proceedings in London against Oyo State Government.
The trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, had adjourned till November 26 to hear the preliminary objections of the Defendants.

News

Gunmen Invade Ekiti Secretariat, Days after Oyo Assembly Invasion

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

Barely three days after armed Yoruba Nation agitators invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat, gunmen on Tuesday, stormed the Ilejemeje Local Government Area Secretariat in Ẹda-Oniyọ, Ekiti State, causing pandemonium among the workers.

The attackers disrupted normal activities and forced employees to flee the premises for safety.

The hoodlums, who were said to have come from the Obbo-Ayegunle community in the neighbouring Kwara State, violently stormed the secretariat, firing several gunshots, making workers run in different directions for dear lives, and in the ensuing pandemonium, one person was injured.

Reports said the hoodlums vandalized the Secretariat building and other property of the council.

Although the cause of the attack was still sketchy as at the time of filling this report, it was however gathered that the two communities have been embroiled in crisis for some time over land disputes.

During the attack, which lasted for several hours, one person was said to have sustained serious injury and rushed to the State Specialist Hospital in Iye-Ekiti.

The hoodlums reportedly heavily armed with dangerous weapons including gun, charms and cutlasses. They invaded the Secretariat at about 10:am.

Speaking on the attack, the Eleda of Eda Oniyo community, Oba Awodipo Awolola, explained that the hoodlums had in few days attacked some residents of the community, with charm in their farmlands, the development which the monarch said had resulted in panic and tension in the community.

The traditional ruler, who lamented the absence of police post in the area, said there is a need for security outfits to mobilise more officer to the community to prevent further breaking of law and orders.

Similarly, the Chairman of Ilejemaje Local Government, Mr. Alaba Dada, said the suspected hoodlums were from the Obbo-Ayegunle community in Kwara State.

He attributed the attacks to the lingering land disputes between the two communities, he explained that though security agents had been mobilised to the town to prevent repraisal attacks.

He said there is need for the Ekiti and Kwara State governments to meet, and settle the land dispute in the interest of peace and harmonious relationship.

News

Kaduna Assembly Sets Committee to Probe Former Gov El-Rufai

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Eric

The Kaduna State House of Assembly has set up a fact-finding committee to probe all finances, loans and contract projects awarded under the former Governor Nasiru El-Rufai administration.

Governor Uba Sani, during a town hall meeting on Saturday, lamented the huge debt inherited from his predecessor, El-Rufai, on May 29, 2023.

Sani had said the state was left with a few amounts, not enough to pay salary, adding that his administration inherited a total of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the ex-governor.

“Despite the huge debt burden of 587 million dollars, 85 billion naira, and N115 billion in contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.

“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly,” the governor had said.

However, on Tuesday, the state’s Assembly set up a fact-finding committee during plenary, among others, to also investigate the former governor’s top associate and Senior Counsellor on Investment, Jimi Lawal.

Besides, the panel would probe financial dealings, loans and grants and other project implementation from 2015-2023.

The State Assembly also mandated the committee to invite notable personalities including the former speakers of the 8th and 9th Assembly, commissioners of finance, former Managing Directors of Kaduna Markets, and Commissioners of Budget and Planning, among others.

The Punch

News

National Grid Collapses Again, Nigeria in Total Blackout

Published

3 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The electricity national grid has collapsed again throwing the entire country into total blackout.

Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos), on Monday, confirmed the fresh collapse of the national grid, resulting in loss of power supply to their customers.

The grid experienced a fresh shutdown, and generation fell to 64.70 megawatts at 2:42 am on Monday, which was confirmed by officials of some of the DisCos.

According to an earlier report, the latest data from the Independent System Operator showed that the grid was generating 266.50mw of electricity from Okpai, Geregu and Ibom power.

Confirming the collapse in a statement, Jos DisCo said: “The current outage being experienced within our franchise States is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid. The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred in the early hours at about 0242 hours today, Monday, 15th April 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.”

The company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dr Friday Adakole Elijah, expressed hope that the grid will be restored for normal power supply to its esteemed customers.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), also confirmed the collapse in a statement titled “NOTICE OF TOTAL SYSTEM COLLAPSE”.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 2:41 am today, 15th April 2024.

“This resulted in the loss of supply to all our interface TCN stations. Consequently, we were unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“However, the situation is gradually being resolved as we received the supply at Awada TCN station, Onitsha, at 7:30 am.

“We are in constant communication with the relevant authorities awaiting the full restoration of supply by the National Control Centre, NCC, Oshogbo. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,”

A statement by Head, of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh said.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the collapse as of press time.