The National Assembly management under the immediate past clerk, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, has been accused of refusing to pay for vehicles and equipment supplied to the House of Representatives in 2017.
According to reports, the contractors, including 13 companies that supplied Peugeot 508 Special edition for the use of the members of the House and 13 Hilux vans, are threatening legal action if their bills are not settled within a week.
Reports suggest that nine of the companies supplied 132 Peugeot vehicles, two supplied 18 units of Toyota Hilux van while two others supplied office equipment.
It was gathered that a letter of demand from the legal firm, Otaru Otaru & Co., states that the nine companies supplied 132 units of Peugeot 508, 2017 Executive Edition at N25.5 million each, totalling N3.4 billion; two of them supplied 18 units of Toyota Hilux (4ws Dc pss 2.7 litres, Shell Spec, 5 Speed, 2017 Model, Japan) at the cost of N31.2 million each, totalling N561.6 million while two others supplied office equipment at the total cost of N211.2 million.
The documents, it was learnt, show that Three Brothers Concept Nigeria Limited supplied 50 Peugeot vehicles at N25.5 million each and was expecting to be paid N1.28 billion. The lawyers said the company has so far only received N400 million.
Apart from the outstanding balance, Three Brothers Concept is also asking the National Assembly to pay “the sum of One Hundred Million Naira only being general damages for breach of contract. 21% prejudgment interest on the unpaid sum of N875,750,000” as well as a “10% post-judgment interest in the unpaid sum.”
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Meanwhile, another company, Bunkari Motors Nigeria Limited, which said it supplied 42 units of Peugeot 508 at the same price as Three Brothers, was expecting a total payment of N1.07 billion but said it only received N15 million only, leaving a balance of N1.06 billion.
Like Three Brothers, Bunkari Motors is also making the same demand for payment of damages as well as interests.
Also, Aira Integrated Resources Limited have was said to supplied 10 units of Peugeot vehicles at the same price and was expecting payment of N255.2 million. However, unlike the other two companies, the documents revealed that Aira received N9.05 million each in three instalments on June 14, September 5 and November 30, 2018.
The firm also got N4.5 million twice, on February 1 and April 17, 2019, totalling N36.5 million and “leaving a balance of N218,599,524.93.”
Six other companies supplied five units of Peugeot vehicles each at the same contract price and they were expecting to be paid N127.6 million each. The companies are Kaneen-G ventures Limited, Zipson Ugos Chi Limited, Mohammed Najib and Company Limited, Dombee Nigeria Limited, Futuhati Investment Limited and D C Okika Nigeria Limited.
Out of the six companies, three received some payments while the other three have received nothing since 2017.
The documents, however, showed that Kaneen-G got N15 million, Zipson got N70 million and Mohammed Najib received N24 million. All the six companies are also asking the National Assembly to pay them N50 million as damages as well as 21 and 10 per cent pre and post-judgment interest on the total contract sum.
One of the contractors, Vish Integrated Service Limited, said it supplied six units of Toyota Hilux vehicles 2017 edition at N31.2 million each and was expecting to be paid a total of N187.2 million out of which N40 million was paid on November 17, 2017, N50 million on February 7, 2018 and N10million on April 30, 2018, leaving a balance of N87.2 million.
Havilah Motors Ltd which supplied 12 units of Toyota Hilux at a unit price of N31.2 million totalling N374.4 million out of which only N62 million was paid leaving the balance of N312.4 million.
Two firms- C L Ukas Investment and Power Zone Limited said they supplied office equipment. Ukas supplied office equipment to the sum of N96.4 million while Power zone supplied office equipment for N114.9 million. Both have not received any payment since 2017.
In the meantime, the Director of Information of the National Assembly management, Rawlings Agada, said he does not have the fact on the matter.
He also said it is strictly a matter that concerns the House services committee and not the National Assembly management.
