Abia: I’ve no corruption case—OGAH
PDP chieftain and the man at the centre of the yet to be finally resolved Abia State political crisis, Dr. Uche Ogah has dismissed as erroneous, the insinuation in some quarters that he is facing a corruption case in court.
Rather, according to Ogah, he was the person who first approached the courts to protect the business interest of his company, Masters Energy Oil and Gas. A statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Kingsley Ibeawuchi, explained that the dispute in a business between Ogah’s firm and another firm, Mut-Hass Petroleum, dated back to 2011, when the latter allegedly approached Ogah’s firm for an oil business collaboration, which he said was sealed and entered into after a memorandum of understanding, MoU, was signed by the two parties. Specifically, Ibeawuchi, explained that the business was an offer by Mut-Hass Petroleum to Masters Energy “to sell, transfer and assign her company’s interest on the 10,000 Mt of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) allocation for the period of second quarter for the year, 2011, as a result of lack of funds and expertise to carry out the transactions”.
He said that the offer was considered based on a plea by the owners of the company and a Memorandum of Understanding that was entered into by the two firms. “The MoU was dully signed conscientiously, on the 6th of May, 2011 between the two firms and in her haste to get the business started, the owner of the other firm allegedly offered to prepare a handwritten invoice in respect of the 10,000 MT of PMS, which she said was to ensure the entire transaction commences.
“In the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both companies, it was clearly stated that all rights, interest ,privileges, obligations and the permit to import 10,000 Metric Tons (MT) of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) under the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) Scheme for the second quarter of the year 2011 ‘’ be” transferred to Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd, and by virtue of the Memorandum of Understanding, based on those clearly spelt out terms of the agreement, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited paid the total sum of =N=26, 820, 000.00 Only (Twenty Six Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) as full and final Consideration to Mut-Hass Petroleum Nig. Ltd”, he explained.
He went further to give the bank and the numbers of three cheques issued by Ogah’s firm covering payment for business deal, allegedly issued to the firm. Ibeawuchi alleged however that the other party flouted the MoU, prompting Ogah’s firm resolved to approach the court of law in (Suit NO: FCT/HC/2196/14) to address their grievances. He said they decided to make the clarification so that the public would be deceived.
