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From Lukman Olabiyi
The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has cautioned a consulting firm, Zilcon Higgs International Limited to stop making defamatory statements against the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The group held that the inability of the firm to get paid for a job it allegedly executed on behalf of the nine oil producing states did not warrant it alleged defamatory statement against the RMAFC.
CACOL in a statement by its chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, explained that a press release published by a national daily, on September 13, 2024,with the title “ Firm petittions RMAFC chair, Shehu over $330m payment”, did not really give account of what transpired between the parties.
In the said publication, Mr. Adeniran held that Zilcon Higgs had falsely accused RMAFC of failing to authorize payment of consultancy fee for a job that was purportedly awarded by a different entity.
The group further stated that the firm also alleged that on August 8, 2023, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, under the chairmanship of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, had issued a letter to another firm, Tiaras White Consult Ltd as consultant to the oil-producing states for the same job they claimed to have earlier carried out on behalf of the nine oil producing states which had earlier engaged them.
However, while cautioning the firm on the matter, the group said that the issue was currently a subject of litigation before a court of competent jurisdiction and the parties should be mindful of their actions.
“From the foregoing, it is therefore, our candid opinion that the company should await the judgment on the matter since it is pending before the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, Abuja,instead of resorting to wild allegations and campaign of calumny against the person of the Chairman of the RMAFC , Muhammed Bello Shehu and staff of the Commission.
“It is common knowledge that when a case is pending before a competent court of law, it is subjudice for parties to the dispute to continue to make public statements on it pending the determination of the substantive suit. We believe this is why RMAFC does not want to join issues with Zilcon Higgs International on the vexatious issue via a rejoinder”, the statement read in part.
