Firm drags Kogi Assembly to court over N15.7m debt

Kogi State House of Assembly has been dragged to the state High Court in Lokoja by a private company, Ce Triple F Global Services Limited, over its failure to pay N15,780,920 debt.

The company is asking the court to compel the Assembly to pay the said money which it owed for the supply of television, fridge and stabiliser, among others in October 2016.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ce triple F Global Services Limited, Chris Edime, said the items were supplied to the Assembly when Alfa Umar Imam was the Speaker and the current Speaker, Mathew Kolawole, was the Majority Leader.

“Shortly after Imam emerged as the speaker, Kolawole emerged as the leader of the House. Prince Mather Kolawole and other principal officers then were all aware of this transaction that we supplied all these items to the Assembly and we installed them.

“But surprisingly, we raised an invoice for it to be paid, up till now, nothing has been done. There was a time we were told to write letter to the Clerk of the House of which we did on several occasion. But nothing has been done up to this moment that is why we have taken the matter to court,” he told the court.

The company is also charging the Assembly for damages and a breach of contract.

When it was brought before the Kogi State High Court II Lokoja on Thursday in a suit number HLC/107/2020 CE Triple F Global Service Limited and one other versus Kogi State House of Assembly and three others, the State Legal Adviser, Oluwafemi Adegboyega told the court presided over by Hon. Justice J.J Majibe that they had filed a motion challenging certain paragraph of the claimant reply and they are asking the court to strike out the additional statement on oath.

He, however, apologized to the judge for filing the motion in the same day the court is sitting, assuring that it will not happen again. He, however, proposed for 3rd of November 2021 for hearing of the case which was agreed by the counsel to the complainant, Sam Akoji Esq.

Justice Majebi while responding to the plea expressed dismay over filing of a motion on the day of court proceedings.

He said he will continue to protect the integrity of the court, adding that lawyer should try as such as possible to file their case at least 48 hours before court proceedings.

Hon. Justice J.J. Majebi adjourned to November 3 for hearing of the motion.