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Subscribers Drag Abuja Estate Developer, Others To Court, Demand N1.1bn Over Alleged Contract Breach

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2023

Subscribers of the Nelson Mandela Gardens Estate project in Abuja have dragged the developer of the estate, Otunba Adebiyi Olafisoye and A & G Estate Development Company Limited, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over an alleged breach of contractual agreement.

The aggrieved subscribers are asking the Abuja High Court to compel Olafisoye and A & G Estate Development Company Limited to pay them a whopping sum of N1.10 billion in damages due to the alleged contract breach.

Sued along with Olafisoye and A & G Estate Ltd is the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) described as the original owner of the land, which it sub-leased to the property development firm and on which the estate is built.

In the suit marked: CV/328/2022 filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Mr Ibrahim Idris, the subscribers, who sued through six of their representatives, accused Olafisoye and A & G Estate Ltd of breaching the terms and conditions contained in the letters of offer issued to them.

They contended that Olafisoye and A & G Estate have refused to keep their promise to provide necessary facilities in the estate, declined to execute deeds of sub-lease of the unexpired terms granted A & G Estate Ltd by the African University of Science and Technology and had attempted to alter the name of the estate.

Listed as claimants are Mrs. A. N. Ijadunola, Alhaji Yusuf Yahaya, Mr. John Mshelia, Mr. Gabriel Afolabi, Mr. Akeem Atanda, Mr. Festus Ojekhephen and the Registered Trustees of Nelson Mandela Gardens Residents Association, Abuja.

In their statement of claim, the claimants described Olafisoye, who they claimed owns A & G Insurance Plc, as an individual with “an unimpressive and sordid track records in his business or commercial dealings”.

They claimed to have subscribed to the estate project between 2013 and 2019 and that soon after they “entered into the contractual relationship with the 2nd defendant (A & G Estate Ltd) they realized that they had been sold a dummy by the defendants, as the defendants, in a most bizarre manner, kept frustrating the claimants.”

They claimed to have complied with the terms and conditions contained in their various letters of offer by, amongst others, paying fully for the various allocated houses.

The claimants stated that the 2nd defendant, in alleged connivance with the 1st defendant (Olafisoye), failed to abide by the terms and conditions contained in the said letters of Offer.

They further stated that after receiving from them full payments in respect of the various allocated units of houses, the 2nd defendant unapologetically declined to provide any of the facilities or amenities it promised to provide in the estate.

The claimants added that part of the effects of the alleged continuous and unjustified refusal of the 2nd defendant to provide essential social facilities it promised has exposed their lives, those of their families and their properties to great risk and jeopardy.

They stated that to date, the exact tenor or term of the lease, donated to them by the 2nd defendant, has been kept away from them because the 2nd and 3rd defendants have been unwilling to disclose “the accurate tenor in the head lease and by extension, the sub-lease between the 2nd and 3rd defendants.”

They want the court to, among others, compel A & G Estate Ltd “to forthwith make available to the claimants, their various and respective duly executed deeds of sub-lease of the unexpired term granted to the 2nd defendant by the 3rd defendant in respect of Nelson Mandela Gardens Estate situate at Industrial Area II, Abuja.”

They are also seeking an injunction restraining the property owner from changing the name of the estate to Steamwood Garden and to desist from collecting any form of money from the claimants under the guise that it would be used for development purposes.

They are claiming N1 billion in damages and N10 million as the cost of prosecuting the suit.

The defendants have, however, denied the claimants’ claims, insisting that they did nothing wrong.

In their joint statement of defence, Olafisoye and A & G Estate Ltd claimed to have provided many facilities but that their plan to do more was hampered by the alleged inability of some of the subscribers to pay for their houses fully.

AUST, in its statement of defence, stated that it was not privy to the contractual agreement between the claimants and the 2nd defendant. It blamed the subscribers for not exercising due diligence before subscribing to the project.

The 3rd defendant also queried the competence of the suit, arguing, among others, that it amounted to an abuse of the court process and that it was caught by the statute of limitation.

Meanwhile, Justice Modupe Osho- Adebiyi has fixed April 26 for hearing into the suit.

News

Uproar As Senate Okays Non-indigene As Rivers Electoral Commission Chairman

Published

11 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

There was an uproar in the Senate on Wednesday following the approval of a non- indigene, Dr. Michael Odey as the Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

The confirmation of Odey, who hails from Cross River State, alongside other members of the Commission followed the consideration of the report of the Ad- Hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State presented by its chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central).

The development sparked as a few senators objected the appointment of a non-indigene to head a sensitive position as that of a state electoral commission.

Those confirmed as members of the RSIEC are Mr. Lezaasi Lenee Torbira, Prof. Author Nwafor, Prof. Godfrey Woke Mbgudiogha, Prof. Joyce Akaninwor, Dr. Olive A. Bruce and Prof. Chidi Halliday.

Objecting to Odey’s confirmation, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central) said bad precedent should not be set by allowing a non-indigene to head the electoral commission of a state.

He said: “I objected as observed because if it is allowed and becomes the norm, it will not be well for the country.

“I do not see the necessity of having someone from another state to chair an electoral body.”

Also kicking against the approval, former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, (APC Borno South), said it is wrong to scout for a non-indigene for such sensitive position when there are over one thousand indigenes who are qualified.

Referring to a comment by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), said politics was infused into the matter.

“It is here that politics is brought into this matter. Nobody is objecting to the personality but to a question of morality this appointment has raised.

“I am not a lawyer and not talking law, we are talking about ethics. This is unethical. We should not intrude politics into what we do here,” Moro said.

But the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), argued that Odey’s appointment is constitutional and that there is nothing wrong im the confirmation by the Red Chamber.

He said: “The constitution is the ground norm and inasmuch as there is no provision in the constitution that is against appointing a non-indigene, the confirmation is then in order.

“Any Nigerian is free to take up appointment in any state. I can be a governor in Benue State. We are talking about constitution, not morality.”

The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele while appreciating concerns raised, however, appealed that it is a matter that should not be politicized, saying “The matter does not call for grandstanding.”

He argued that Odey is both eligible and qualified as a PhD holder.

Bamidele disclosed that the committee had also raised similar concern during the screening exercise where he called on Odey to provide constitutional evidence of his eligibility.

He said the Odey is eligible and qualified, adding that having the six other members from Rivers State, picking a non-indigene as chairman would create room for transparency and neutrality.

In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Barau, who presided over the session, insisted that anybody can work anywhere in Nigeria.

Barau cited an example of an indigene of Edo State who is the Head of Service in Abia State.

He said the objection “is purely politics because it is coming from APC”.

In the same development, the Senate also confirmed the appointment of members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission nominated by President Bola Tinubu.

The Civil Service Commission consists of five members, including its Chairman, Dr Livinus Bariki, and Ambassador Lot Peter Egopija, Mrs Maeve Ere Bestman, Mrs Joy Obiaju and Mrs Charity Lloyd Harry as members.

Also confirmed are the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr Isreal N Amadi and Mr Linus Nwandem, Lady Christabel Ego, George Didia, Dr Tonye Willie D Pepple, Barrister Richard Ewoh, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik (rtd) and Dr Sammy Apiafi, as members.
(DAILY POST)

News

Nigerian Senate Passes 2025 Budget For Rivers State

Published

11 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian senate on Wednesday, passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, to the tune of N1.485 trillion.

The passage came after the third reading of the appropriation bill on the Senate floor.

This came after the upper chamber considered the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.

DAILY POST reports that the bill seeks to authorize the issuance of N1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.

According to the approved budget breakdown, N120.8 billion is for debt servicing, N287.38 billion is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and N1.077 trillion is for capital expenditure.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), while supporting the passage of the bill, however, raised a concern regarding the additional 50 billion naira earmarked for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.

The lawmaker charged the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to carry out more rigorous oversight to ensure that the funds reach the rightful pension beneficiaries without delay.

DAILY POST reports that with the passage, the Rivers State 2025 budget will now proceed for assent and implementation.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu in May submitted the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State to the National Assembly for consideration, after the suspension of the state’s House of Assembly.

In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, the proposed budget totals N1.481 trillion, with major allocations aimed at revitalizing key sectors.

The president also wrote to the House of Representatives for the Rivers State budget approval, reminding the House that the Supreme Court had nullified the 2025 budget presented by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

News

Kebbi Govt Mulls Death Penalty For Bandit Informants

Published

11 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Government has said it would review existing laws to impose death penalty or life imprisonment on convicted informants aiding the criminals in the state.

This is coming in the wake of renewed attacks by armed bandits in parts of the state.

The State Governor, Nasiru Idris made this disclosure on Tuesday, when he paid condolence visits to Tadurga village in Zuru and Kyebu in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Areas, both recently targeted by bandits in attacks that claimed 30 lives.

The governor, while describing informants as deadly to society, reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on insecurity and promised to treat the issue with utmost seriousness.

He expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of lives, praying for the victims and asking Allah to grant the deceased Aljannah Firdausi and a quick recovery to those injured.

“We are here to see things for ourselves, commiserate with you and reassure you of the urgent steps we have taken to improve security,” he said.

The Governor called on the public to refrain from politicizing security issues or spread unverified information on social media, warning that such actions could jeopardise ongoing efforts to restore peace.

Responding, the Chief of Danko, Ibrahim Al’aji, and the Chief of Dabai, Suleiman Sami, appreciated the governor for his swift intervention and called for enhanced security measures, especially along routes used by bandits entering from neighboring states.

The Emir of Zuru, Rtd. Major General Sani Sami also expressed appreciation for the governor’s visit and ongoing commitment to security in the emirate.