TheCable

Joe-Kyari Gadzama, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has refuted a story claiming he wrote to Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), seeking payment for Ned Nwoko, popular businessman, regarding the Paris club refund.

Gadzama, in a letter dated September 9 and addressed to the AGF, said the publication titled “Ned Nwoko Tackles Governors Over $418m Paris Club Refund” is false and malicious.

“The author of the article claims I wrote a letter to your office regarding the payment of fees to Mr. Ned Nwoko. I wish to put it on record that, although I am not averse to Prince Ned Nwoko and others collecting whatever fees they feel entitled to, I was neither a part of any meeting where any resolution to write to your office was taken, nor did I author or sign any letter as claimed in the publication,” Gadzama said.

“Furthermore, the tone of the letter, with copious references to the Nigerian Governors’ Form and Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, is not in consonance with my temperament and style.

“I hereby urge you, Sir and the general public to disregard and discountenance the said publication and other similar publications as being fallacious, malicious and self-serving.”

Zainab Ahmed, finance minister, had directed DMO to issue promissory notes to contractors and consultants relating to Paris and London Club refunds despite pending court cases.

But the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) condemned the directive of the finance minister and asked banks and their compliance officers to disregard the payment of the controversial $418,953,670.59 to consultants.

Out of the said amount, Ned Nwoko is laying claim to $142,028,941 via a consent judgment he obtained from a federal high court in Abuja in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017.

However, in a new development, the controversial payment to consultants has been put on hold by President Muhammadu Buhari.