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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Legal fireworks resumes February 28, 2022, in the legal dispute initiated by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Kubwa, by a financial consultant firm, Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd against the Abia State Government and some officials of the State over the $151 million Paris club refund.
In the suit, the Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Dr Maurice Ibe, through his company, sued the Abia government for refusing to pay an agreed 30 per cent of $151.4 million, being refunded for the over deduction from Abia government foreign loan portfolio by the federal government.
He listed the Abia State government, the Accountant General of Abia and Ziplon Concept.
He is seeking the order of the court to make the Abia government pay Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd, N12 billion being consulting fee for the Paris Club refund Abia debt reconciliation with the federal government. Mr Ibe said Abia engaged Mauritz Walton Nig. Ltd on November 3, 2014, to pursue the refund of excess deductions on foreign loans and miscellaneous charges in exchange for 30 per cent of any fund recovered.
He had earlier in his testimony told the court that he has petitioned the EFCC over the Abia government’s refusal to pay for its service to recover the money.
He further disclosed that the then governor, Theodore Orji, engaged him to “determine, reconcile and recover” the fund on November 3, 2014.
Ibe, however, informed the court that along the line, the Abia government brought in the fourth defendant (Ziplon), claiming it had renegotiated with it to carry out the job for the state.
He added that Ziplon Concepts wrote to Walton Ltd that the state government would accept to pay the fee if he accepted a 40/60 per cent sharing formula.
He further stated: “The then-attorney general of Abia was shocked to learn that I did not know that N100 million had been disbursed to Ziplon.
“At that point, I told him, I would not be part of the arrangement. It was based on this that I wrote a petition to the EFCC against the Abia government and some of its officials.”
Ibe said he rejected the offer because “it was with bad intent, deceitful and in bad fate, and I did not even consider it.
Meanwhile, counsel to Abia government and the Attorney-General of the state, Chukwuma Machumkwu Ume (SAN), has filed two appeals which he informed the court had been entered and filed motions for stay of the court’s proceedings.
Machukwu, accordingly, urged the court to adjourn the matter, indefinitely, to await the outcome of the appeals.
However, in his response, counsel to the plaintiff, Isaac Anumudu, objected to a sine die adjournment, saying that the court of appeal gave a definite date for hearing and a sine die adjournment would make the case indefinite.
Anumudu drew the attention of the court to an interim order for stay of proceedings by the appellate court.
Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya, thereafter, fixed the date for report and hearing, based on the interim order to stay proceedings as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
