Court orders NASS to pay N4.9m to contractors

An FCT High Court Maitama on Wednesday ordered the National Assembly and Clerk of the National Assembly to pay N4. 9 million to two contractors that supplied 14 HP desktops to the National Assembly.

The items were supplied by the plaintiffs-Mr Gabriel Demola and Mr Godpower Agbolu and were yet to be paid.

Justice Jude Okeke in his judgment held that the defendants failed to prove that the plaintiffs did not comply with the process of procurement in the award of the contract.

“The defendants did not place any evidence before the court to contradict the evidence of the plaintiffs."

“The evidence of the plaintiffs before the court are documentary evidence which are not contradicted by the defendants even under cross – examination."

“In the circumstance, the defendants are severally or jointly to pay the sum of N4. 9million to the plaintiffs being the amount for the 14 HP desktops supplied them, ” he held.

Okeke also ordered the defendants to pay five per cent interest of the contract sum per annum starting from May 13, when the payment demand was made by the plaintiffs.

He recalled that the plaintiffs instituted a suit on May 5, 2015, praying the court to compel the defendants to pay them for the supply of 14 HP desktops valued at N4. 9million.

Okeke added that the plaintiffs were given a contract award letter and the items were acknowledged by the defendants as being supplied.

He also noted that the contract was awarded in July, 2014 and on December 2014, the defendants acknowledged the receipt of the items.