States urged on $418m Paris, London Clubs’ refunds’ legal fees

The National Fresh Vision (NFV) has urged the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to accept the federal government’s decision to pay the $418 million legal consultants debt that facilitated the Paris and London clubs’ refunds to Nigeria.

In a statement, the President of NFV, Prince Walters Eziachi, and Secretary, Mr Fred Akpewe, said the NGF and the ALGON have benefited from the services of the consultants and lawyers who are now claiming a cumulative sum of $418m.

The NGF in a recent statement asked banks not to proceed with the $418.9m payment to consultants as directed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, after she had directed the Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue promissory notes to contractors and consultants relating to the Paris and London clubs refunds despite a pending litigation.

However, NFV said it was not fair to Prince Ned Nwoko/Linas International Ltd (consultants) who had used his funds for the debt refund negotiations and engaged other professionals.

The statement by NFV further reads: “Had the debt refund negotiations failed, Prince Ned Nwoko/Linas International

Limited would have borne huge personal losses.

“We also urge the NGF to respect precedents rather than push the judiciary to run amok. This is the only way the NGF can correct the impression now gaining currency that they are prepared to violate the laws of the country provided they get more money for their forum.”