Paris Club Refund: Popular Businessman Petitions Ebonyi Govt, IGP, Alleges Threat to Life
The chief executive officer, Mauritz Walton Limited, a financial consulting firm based in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Dr Maurice Ibe, has petitioned the Ebonyi state government over a $119.4m Paris Club Refund.
Legit.ng gathered that Ibe alleged that rather than paying his firm the consultancy fee as agreed in the Paris Club refund debacle, the state government is coming after his life.
Source: Twitter
Barrister Charles Ude, the counsel to Dr Ibe, also petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on behalf of his client, alleging that the state governor, Dave Umahi, sent people after his client to harass and kidnap him.
The petition, with Ref: CU/01/EB/2022, urged the police authorities to forestall the “Illegal and unlawful attempt to abduct, kidnap and harass Dr. Maurice Ibe by Dave Umahi, Executive Governor of Ebonyi state.”
Ibe pleaded with the police boss to proactively take steps to halt the move by the governor and the police officers he allegedly engaged in the nefarious activity against him.
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The petitioner alleged that the state government defaulted on the payment of consultancy fees agreed between her and the consultants.
He added that the development led to the filing of suit No. FHC/PH/CS/35/2022, between Andrew Bishopton Limited and the firm of its client, Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited, against the Ebonyi government.
According to him, the Ebonyi state government engaged the services of a legal expert to prosecute her defence at the Federal High Court.
He added that on Thursday, July 21, 2022, the court, presided over by Justice Stephen Daylop Pam, delivered judgment in their favour and ordered Umahi and the Ebonyi state government to pay them the agreed amount based on the services rendered.
The counsel also alleged that the governor, rather than pay them, resorted to using different means to intimidate his client and his partner, including the use of the Ebonyi command of the Nigerian Police Force, who immediately swooped on his partner at her Abuja home, and in a frightful manner forcefully and illegally took Jackie Ikeotuonye, the Chief Executive Officer of Andrew Bishopton Limited into custody. She has been incarcerated at their facility in Abakiliki since July 31, 2022.
The petitioner said: “Our client had observed the trailing of his car and the strange movement of persons in unmarked vehicles around his home and office, on or since the 31st July 2022.
“He is convinced that, but he would have suffered the same faith as Ms Jackie for his personal security personnel."
According to him, findings revealed that Ebonyi state entered into an agreement with the two firms in 2015, and the state was paid the sum of $119.4m due to their work.
The governor was said to have applauded the work of the consultants during a special session of the state executive council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital, with a standing ovation when the state was paid the huge sum of over $119.4m.
It was gathered that he later sought and received approval from the council to pay the consultants, adding that sources within the Ebonyi state government confirmed that payment was made with respect to Ebonyi State Paris Club Refund, but “to whom and how much has remained a mystery.”
The statement also noted that former and current serving members of the Ebonyi state executive council insisted that there was approval and payment of the 25% consultancy fees on the project.
It also stated that after waiting in vain for the approved sum without headway, the consultancy firms decided to take legal means to recover their money.
In the petition, Dr Ibe referred the IGP to a previous move by Umahi, which he alleged was to use the Abakaliki Police Command to swoop on his partner, the Chief Executive Officer of Andrew Bishopton Limited.
Barrister Ude maintained:
“Our client had observed the trailing of his car and the strange movement of persons in unmarked vehicles around his home and office, on or since July 13, 2022."
He said Dr Ibe had since gone into hiding and needed to regain his liberty and resume his normal activities, which he cannot presently do with the threat of Umahi’s style of justice hanging on his neck like the “sword of Damocles.”
Ned Nwoko says states And LGAs owe him $418 million consultancy fees; governors counter him
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Nigeria Governors Forum slammed Ned Nwoko over a statement that his firm is being owed $418 million from the Paris Club and London Club debt buyback funds.
It was reported that the governors said that Nwoko's statement is a half-truth, stating his firm is owed just $68 million and not $418 million as claimed by Nwoko.
Nwoko responded in a statement following the controversy that trailed his firm's demand for fees from the states and local governments in the country in Abuja on Saturday, August 20, 2022.
Source: Legit.ng
