TOROBONG EKPO
The outburst statement where Deacon Udom
Emmanuel once claimed that he is a Professional in Politics may sound
ridiculous and cajoling following the latest court case where a Professional
Architect in the country, Mr. Ubokutom Nyah has taken the governor to court
over loads of debt totalling about 2.5 billion naira which the governor is
alleged to have owed his company without remittance till date.
A Media Outfit named The Post Newspaper
had over the weekend wrote an Open Letter to the governor over the inability of
governor's agent to reach the Terms of Contract summed at about 500,000 naira
which the company entered with the governmental institution since last year.
In a suit number, HU / 147/ 2016, filed
in Uyo High Court, the Applicant, Mr. Nyah, whose company is Otto Trinity
Studios has dragged the state Governor and the Attorney General of the State,
Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoke to Uyo high court on the grounds of the professional
services the company rendered with regards to design and construction of the
Hilltop Mansion and urged the court to ensure that the alleged debtor, Deacon
Udom Emmanuel vacates government House at no distance time.
In a strong worded statement placed
before the high court, the Professional has pleaded with the court to restrain
the state government and its agents access to the facilities until the governor
pays the company its full entitlement with corresponding interest.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo on
Sunday, Nyah said the only option left for government is to vacate the complex
over its refusal to complete payment for the firm’s professional services.
According to Nyah, he only received
N16,744,041.91 in 2015 as part payment for his professional fees out of
N872,414,409.40.
He explained that despite an outstanding
debt of N1,286,347,837.30, he and his colleagues continued to render their
services to the government as stated in their contract till January 2016.
He stated that at this time, the debt
had grown to N2,133,547,837.30. adding that he was the chief resident architect
commissioned alongside one principal resident architect, one senior resident
architect, and one resident architect to render professional services in
respect of the now completed Government House Uyo, Phases II and III between
January 2012-2016.
The motion on notice read: “An order of
this honourable court directing the defendants to pay the sum of
N2,133,547,837.30 and interest of 2.5 per cent above prevailing bank rate from
February, 2016 till date to the Registrar of this honourable court, who shall
lodge same in a reputable commercial bank, in an interest yielding account, pending the hearing and
determination of this case
“An order of interlocutory injunction
restraining the defendants, their agents, assigns, privies, servants and
workmen from further occupying, entering or making use of the Government House
Complex, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in any manner whatsoever until payment of the sum
of N2,133,547,837.30 and interest of 2.5 per cent above prevailing bank rate
from February, 2016 till date as afore stated or pending the hearing and
determination of this case.”
Meanwhile, the inclusion of 2012 in the
contract terms, where Godswill Obot Akpabio Esq served as the governor of the
state has lured critics to think if the ex governor had left huge debt for his
successor, but since Deacon Udom Emmanuel has refused to tender the debt
profile of the state, clerics are of the opinion that the present governor
should be held responsible for the remittance of Otto Trinity Studio.
Comrade Uwem Saviour, a public affairs
analyst has wondered why a governor cum deacon of a church who is alleged to be
a debtor over a housing complex in Uyo should contemplate building another one
in Lagos, thereby wondering which of the consciences he will be using to build
in Lagos.
Grapevine claims that, the governor has
determined to be operating from Lagos and most weekends shutdown in Awa Iman,
Onna instead of paying loans kept about a year before he was sworn in as
Secretary to the State Government.
A Financial Expert, who pleaded for
anonymity wondered why the governor could receive billions of naira from Exxon
Mobil, in addition to Paris refund, Internally Generated Revenue, monthly
allocations yet couldn't pay a architect working in the government House as
well as newspaper advertorial, noting that even military administrators didn't
exhibit such heartless character.
He however thanked management staff of
Exxon Mobil for contributing about 9billion naira towards construction of Eket
Ibeno road as well as Federal Government Agency, particularly the Niger Delta
Development Commission for massive infrastructural renaissance across the three
Senatorial Districts of the state, maintaining that such quiet achievements
were worth emulating.
Critics are of the opinion that, if Udom
Emmanuel loses in the court, the governor will be operating from a hotel or one
of the liaison offices, while government House will turned to OFFICE OF THE
OTTO TRINITY STUDIO.
In such case, Udom will emerge as the
first "day student" governor of the state.
It will be recalled that Udom Emmanuel
is an economist, a banker and an alumnus of various Business Schools.
Meanwhile, The Government House complex
also houses the office and residential quarters of the deputy governor, office
of the Secretary to the State Government and the Head of Civil Service, office
of Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Banquet Hall is situated at the
end of Wellington Bassey road, Uyo.
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