NIGERIA'S Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been dragged before an Abuja high court for allegedly refusing to pay debts incurred during the election campaign of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan. 

In what is likely to be a bitter case, Silon Concepts alleged that the PDP refused to pay an outstanding N70m (£222,555) balance for a campaign contract awarded to it during the elections. At the hearing yesterday, the chief judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court assigned the suit to a court in the Kuje area of Abuja. 

Listed as defendants in the case are PDP's, director-general of its Presidential Campaign Organisation Dr Ahmadu Ali, and the director of finance of the Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation, Nenadi Usman. Silon Concepts sued then over their alleged refusal to pay for services rendered by the company who the PDP engaged to broadcast a campaign message for Dr Jonathan before the elections. 

Silon Concepts claimed it was engaged to provide an SMS voice broadcast of Dr Jonathan’s campaign message which it sent to eligible voters before the March 28 presidential poll. Through its counsel Festus Keyamo, the company said that the defendants were unwilling to pay the N70m balance of the N100m agreed sum, which they committed in writing to pay. 

Mr Keyamo prayed the court to, among others things, compel the defendants to pay the outstanding sum of N70m and N15m as costs, plus an annual interest rate of 10% until the said sum is fully liquidated. Silon claimed that it successfully executed the project after receiving assurances from the defendants that the balance would be made available in no distant time. 

According to the company, the PDP only paid N20m as an initial payment through a Zenith Bank cheque in the name of Jointrust Dimension Nigeria, with account number 1010740698, in which former senator and minister Nenadi Usman serves as sole signatory. Silon added that the PDP agreed to pay the full balance for the contract before the elections as the party’s contract letter of March 5 stated. 

However, following consistent demand for payment and meetings with other directors of PDP campaign, the party only issued a cheque of N10m to the company on May 19, leaving a balance of N70m and promising to clear the rest in a few days time. However, according to Silon, Ms Usman and her colleagues in the PDP campaign have disappeared with the balance. 

According to the company, a demand letter written on its behalf by Festus Keyamo Chambers to the defendants on May 25 was also ignored. Mr Keyamo said the court bailiff served the defendants the writs of summons since June 16 and that the case is scheduled to come up for mention on July 6.