A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama Wednesday fixed February 28 to consider whether or not an order should be issued against Senator Nelson Effiong, following his alleged failure to repay a loan he took to facilitate his election campaign in 2015.
Justice Salisu Garba adjourned the matter to rule on a motion the lawmaker who is representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, filed for extension of time to seek an out-of-court settlement deal with the Plaintiff.
The suit marked CV/1874/18, was lodged before the court by one Mrs. Nsedu Bassey Onyile, who is based outside the country.
In the Writ of Summons before the court, the Plaintiff claimed that the lawmaker who she identified as a family friend of over 10 years, had sometime in February 2015, approached her for a soft loan of $10,000 to fund his campaign to contest for Senate.
In a supporting affidavit deposed to by one Inyang Essien, the Plaintiff, said she obliged the Defendant and sent him the money through one Ante E. Okwong on March 18, 2015, through a bank of America wire transfer.
She said the transaction was duly acknowledged by the Defendant.
“That the Defendant acknowledged receipt of the money (the sum of $10,000) and promised to pay back by August 2015.
“That the request to recover the Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) was made to the Defendant since August 2015; another request was made to the Defendant via letter to pay back the money on the 1st of June, 2017. The said letter is hereby attached and marked EXHIBIT BB.
“That the Plaintiff wrote several letters to the Defendant and other persons and institutions like the Senate President, The Archbishop of Methodist Church, Abuja. The said letters are hereby attached and marked EXHIBIT CC.
“That despite all these efforts to recover the money, the Defendant has blatantly refused to refund the money.
“That the Defendant has no defence to this suit. This affidavit is made in good faith conscientiously believing the facts to be We and correct in accordance with the Oaths Act”, the deponent averred.
Consequently, the Plaintiff, through her lawyer, Mr. First Baba-Isa, is among other things, claiming before the court, “The sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10, 000) being the sum of money given by the Plaintiff to the Defendant as a loan to fund his campaign for the senatorial election of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial Zone in 2015; the said sum of money which the Defendant has wantonly and inordinately refused, failed and or neglected to repay despite repeated demands.
“Monthly interest of 10% on the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10, 000) from August, 2015, when it became due, payable and demanded to the day of delivery of judgment in this case.
“10% interest on the judgment sum from the day of delivery of the Judgment till when it is finally liquidated”.
As well as GeneraI/Exemplary damages of N20 million and the cost of the litigation.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the embattled Senator, Mr. Peter Akpan, sought for a short adjournment to enable his client to explore an amicable settlement of the matter.
Akpan told the court that his client is currently pursuing his re-election campaign and would therefore require time to offset the loan.
However, counsel to the Plaintiff, Baba-Isa, contended that the Defendant was already out of time, even as he urged the court to go ahead and grant reliefs in the suit.
After he had listened to all the parties, Justice Garba adjourned for ruling.
