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

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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.

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Army Buries 17 Personnel Killed in Okuama Community

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The 17 military personnel killed in Okuama community in Delta on March 14 have been laid to rest.

The corpses of the soldiers, which arrived at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja at about 2:26 pm on Wednesday, were committed to mother death after burial rites were observed.

President Bola Tinubu, Service Chiefs and other dignitaries were in attendance at the burial ceremony.

DAILY POST recalls that the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, while on a peace mission to Okuoma Community were ambushed and killed by some irate youths.

The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call following a communal crisis between Okuoma and Okoloba communities in Delta State.

The personnel comprised one Lieutenant Colonel, two Majors, one Captain and 13 soldiers.

The officers are Commanding Officer 181 Amphibious Battalion, Lt. Col. A.H Ali; Maj S.D Shafa (N/13976); Maj D.E Obi (N/14395) and Capt U Zakari (N/16348).

The soldiers are SSgt Yahaya Saidu (#3NA/36/2974); Cpl Yahaya Danbaba (1ONA/65/7274); Cpl Kabiru Bashir (11NA/66/9853); LCpl Bulus Haruna (16NA/TS/5844); LCpl Sola Opeyemi (17NA/760719); and LCpl Bello Anas (17NA/76/290).

They also include LCpl Hamman Peter (NA/T82653); LCpl Ibrahim Abdullahi (18NA/77/1191); Pte Alhaji Isah (17NA/76/6079); Pte Clement Francis (19NA/78/0911); Pte Abubakar Ali (19NA/78/2162); Pte Ibrahim Adamu (19NA/78/6079) and Pte Adamu Ibrahim (21NA/80/4795).

DailyPost

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Thomas Yormah Emerges As New WAEC Chairman

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By Eric Elezuo

The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) has a new Chairman, he is Prof. Thomas Brima Rick Yormah, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Fourah Bay College and former Pro ViceChancellor, University of Sierra Leone as the 21st Chairman of Council.

According to a statement signed by Demianus G. Ojijeogu, the Head, Public Affairs, WAEC Headquarters, Accra, Ghana, Yormah was elected during the just concluded 72nd Annual Council Meeting of the body, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He succeeds Prof. Ato Essuman from the Republic of Ghana.

The highpoint of the week-long Council meeting was the recognition and honoring of three Ghanaian candidates with the WAEC International Excellence Award for their outstanding performance in the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2023. They were Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi, (1st Prize), Master Dzandu Selorm, (2nd Prize), and Master Asenso-Gyambibi Daniel (3rd Prize). The three candidates were selected from 2,327,342 who sat the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

In the same vein, the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa, 2023 also went to Master Amo-Kodieh Leonard Kofi. In addition, two candidates from the Republic of Sierra Leone were honoured with the National Distinction, while one candidate received the National Merit Award. They were Miss. Mammah E. A. Raymonda, (1st Prize), Master Bangura Joshua, (2nd Prize), and Master Fillie Sahr Edward (Merit Award).

While the 71st edition of the Council meeting was hosted by Gambia, the next edition, which will be the 73rd in the series, will be hosted by Liberia.

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Kidnapped Edo PDP Chairman Regains Freedom

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The kidnapped chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, has been released.

Dr. Aziegbemi, who was set free by his abductors in the early hours of Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Report has it that he got to his Benin City residence at about 3am to the waiting arms of family and close friends.

“I am back home with my family. I am fine. I am just trying to rest and will talk to you later,” he was quoted as saying.

Dr. Aziegbemi, a former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Esan North-East/Esan South-East federal constituency of Edo State, was kidnapped on Friday, March 15, 2024 when his abductors who rode in two Toyota Corolla cars, trailed him after he left a meeting.

The gunmen overtook Aziegbemi’s sports utility vehicle (SUV) at a speed break as it slowed down along Osaro Street, off Country Home Road, close to his house at about 11pm on Friday night before seizing him.

It is not clear yet if a ransom was paid for his release as the abductors had reportedly demanded a sum of N50 million before setting him free.

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