The Immediate Past General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe has responded to the
allegations made against Austin Alegeh’s, SAN
administration by the AB Mahmoud, SAN led
administration.
Below is the response from Mazi Afam
Osigwe.
At the last NEC meeting at Ilorin, the current NBA
administration labored to create the false impression that the NBA
National Secretariat which was commissioned by Vice President
Osinbajo was not in a fit and habitable condition.
I have decided to respond to the false allegations in the same
way I was compelled to the earlier statement by the current
administration on the issue of their failure to pay NBA branches
monies due to them.
The NBA National Secretariat is built on a plot of Land acquired
by the Olisa Agbakoba, SAN led NBA Administration. The Okey Wali,
SAN led NBA administration awarded the building contract and
started the actual building of the NBA National Secretariat.
The Augustine Alegeh, SAN led NBA Administration completed the
Building and commissioned the Building in August, 2016. The
importance of the above is the continuity of purpose that led to
the building of the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja which remains
a source of joy and pride to well-meaning lawyers and
Nigerians.
The original agreed cost of the building was N2.5bn. The
OkeyWali, SAN led NBA Administration commenced payments to the
original contractor Schuams Nigeria Limited [SNL] who had completed
the foundation and basement floors before the administration left
office.
At the inception of the Augustine Alegeh, SAN led Administration
the contractor SNL requested for a variation of the Contract sum
from N2.5bn to N3,035,326,984.76. The Administration refused the
request and determined the contract. A Project Management firm, The
Building Practice Limited was contracted to supervise the
completion works which was then contracted out directly. This
drastically reduced the cost of the Project.
The total Project completion cost was reduced from
N3,035,326,984.76. demanded by the contractor to N1,768,041,818.53.
The total cumulative sum of N1,404,209,930.50 was paid out to all
the contractors. This sum of N1.7bn is inclusive of the sum of
N250,000,000.00 paid by the Okey Wali Administration.
[We can break down the amount paid by each
administration in the N1.7bn].
Okey Wali Led Administration:N 250,000,000.00
Augustine Alegeh Led administration:N 1,154,209,930.5
The outstanding sum of N338,954,876.75 plus was owed
as follows:
1. Aluminium windows and doorsN 10,000,000.00
2. Mechanical and Electrical WorksN 175,000,000.00
3. Air conditioning and ventilation systems₦ 30,048,531.75 (a part
of this been paid by AB Mahmoud’s Administration)
4. Internal CeilingsN 3,500,000.00
5. Floor and wall tilingN 50,000,000.00
6. Internal paintingN 27,500,445.00
7. External paintingN 2,625,000.00
8. Wooden DoorsN 11,300,050.00
9. Aluminium composite claddingN 5,625,000.00
10. Project management feesN 5,000,000.00
11. Attendance and other direct worksN 15,864,600.00
The AB Mahmoud, SAN led Administration was fully briefed about
the payments that were to be made to ensure completion of the
building without variation. It must be noted that the Alegeh led
NBA administration set up a transitional Committee headed by myself
as General Secretary with representatives of the AB Mahmoud
Administration to ensure that the incoming Administration had full
knowledge of all these matters.
The following issues are pertinent to note
The AB Mahmoud, SAN Administration failed to make ANY PAYMENTS to
the Contractors. The ACs delivered since 2016 are still not
installed. The doors have been fully installed but the contractor
is still being owed. The Aluminium composite Panels (Alucobond)
supplier is still being owed.
The administration rather than ensure payment to the Electrical
contractor who has a subsisting contract, expended the sum of about
N150m in purchasing a fairly used transformer as against a
brand-new transformer meant for the National Secretariat. The N40m
paid for Stamps not supplied remains an unresolved puzzle. More
shocking is the Flat rented and furnished for the OUTGOING General
Secretary in Abuja the twilight of the current Administration.
The total sum of about N1.5bn was spent on 2017 conference. Huge
sums of money are spent on hotels bills and allowances every month
. Over 400m has been spent on foreigntrips. In the face of all this
huge spending one finds it difficult to understand why not a kobo
was paid to the contractors.
The NBA National secretariat has no defects. The claim of defect
is fallacious. The Auditorium like most auditoriums and churches
requires TV sets to be installed to ensure that persons who are at
the back can get a view of what is happening on stage. If one may
ask: Why have all the other churches and auditoriums not been
pulled down because some people have their views obscured and
blocked by columns or Pillars. The claim of a defective auditorium
is laughable. The situation with the lift is no different.
A solution was proffered but the AB Mahmoud Administration
failed to take the advice of professionals.
Finally, it is amazing that an Administration that has operation
since inception from the NBA National Secretariat for one year and
six months suddenly realized that the building is defective.
The only defect in this scenario is clear to see. If the
Administration could not add to what was done by its predecessors,
then they should enjoy their last days in office and the next
Administration will take proper steps to maintain the NBA National
Secretariat and restore its place of pride in NBA history.
Mazi Afam Osigwe (Immediate Past General Secretary of
NBA).
The Immediate Past General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe has responded to the
allegations made against Austin Alegeh’s, SAN
administration by the AB Mahmoud, SAN led
administration.
Below is the response from Mazi Afam
Osigwe.
At the last NEC meeting at Ilorin, the current NBA
administration labored to create the false impression that the NBA
National Secretariat which was commissioned by Vice President
Osinbajo was not in a fit and habitable condition.
I have decided to respond to the false allegations in the same
way I was compelled to the earlier statement by the current
administration on the issue of their failure to pay NBA branches
monies due to them.
The NBA National Secretariat is built on a plot of Land acquired
by the Olisa Agbakoba, SAN led NBA Administration. The Okey Wali,
SAN led NBA administration awarded the building contract and
started the actual building of the NBA National Secretariat.
The Augustine Alegeh, SAN led NBA Administration completed the
Building and commissioned the Building in August, 2016. The
importance of the above is the continuity of purpose that led to
the building of the NBA National Secretariat in Abuja which remains
a source of joy and pride to well-meaning lawyers and
Nigerians.
The original agreed cost of the building was N2.5bn. The
OkeyWali, SAN led NBA Administration commenced payments to the
original contractor Schuams Nigeria Limited [SNL] who had completed
the foundation and basement floors before the administration left
office.
At the inception of the Augustine Alegeh, SAN led Administration
the contractor SNL requested for a variation of the Contract sum
from N2.5bn to N3,035,326,984.76. The Administration refused the
request and determined the contract. A Project Management firm, The
Building Practice Limited was contracted to supervise the
completion works which was then contracted out directly. This
drastically reduced the cost of the Project.
The total Project completion cost was reduced from
N3,035,326,984.76. demanded by the contractor to N1,768,041,818.53.
The total cumulative sum of N1,404,209,930.50 was paid out to all
the contractors. This sum of N1.7bn is inclusive of the sum of
N250,000,000.00 paid by the Okey Wali Administration.
[We can break down the amount paid by each
administration in the N1.7bn].
Okey Wali Led Administration:N 250,000,000.00
Augustine Alegeh Led administration:N 1,154,209,930.5
The outstanding sum of N338,954,876.75 plus was owed
as follows:
1. Aluminium windows and doorsN 10,000,000.00
2. Mechanical and Electrical WorksN 175,000,000.00
3. Air conditioning and ventilation systems₦ 30,048,531.75 (a part
of this been paid by AB Mahmoud’s Administration)
4. Internal CeilingsN 3,500,000.00
5. Floor and wall tilingN 50,000,000.00
6. Internal paintingN 27,500,445.00
7. External paintingN 2,625,000.00
8. Wooden DoorsN 11,300,050.00
9. Aluminium composite claddingN 5,625,000.00
10. Project management feesN 5,000,000.00
11. Attendance and other direct worksN 15,864,600.00
The AB Mahmoud, SAN led Administration was fully briefed about
the payments that were to be made to ensure completion of the
building without variation. It must be noted that the Alegeh led
NBA administration set up a transitional Committee headed by myself
as General Secretary with representatives of the AB Mahmoud
Administration to ensure that the incoming Administration had full
knowledge of all these matters.
The following issues are pertinent to note
The AB Mahmoud, SAN Administration failed to make ANY PAYMENTS to
the Contractors. The ACs delivered since 2016 are still not
installed. The doors have been fully installed but the contractor
is still being owed. The Aluminium composite Panels (Alucobond)
supplier is still being owed.
The administration rather than ensure payment to the Electrical
contractor who has a subsisting contract, expended the sum of about
N150m in purchasing a fairly used transformer as against a
brand-new transformer meant for the National Secretariat. The N40m
paid for Stamps not supplied remains an unresolved puzzle. More
shocking is the Flat rented and furnished for the OUTGOING General
Secretary in Abuja the twilight of the current Administration.
The total sum of about N1.5bn was spent on 2017 conference. Huge
sums of money are spent on hotels bills and allowances every month
. Over 400m has been spent on foreigntrips. In the face of all this
huge spending one finds it difficult to understand why not a kobo
was paid to the contractors.
The NBA National secretariat has no defects. The claim of defect
is fallacious. The Auditorium like most auditoriums and churches
requires TV sets to be installed to ensure that persons who are at
the back can get a view of what is happening on stage. If one may
ask: Why have all the other churches and auditoriums not been
pulled down because some people have their views obscured and
blocked by columns or Pillars. The claim of a defective auditorium
is laughable. The situation with the lift is no different.
A solution was proffered but the AB Mahmoud Administration
failed to take the advice of professionals.
Finally, it is amazing that an Administration that has operation
since inception from the NBA National Secretariat for one year and
six months suddenly realized that the building is defective.
The only defect in this scenario is clear to see. If the
Administration could not add to what was done by its predecessors,
then they should enjoy their last days in office and the next
Administration will take proper steps to maintain the NBA National
Secretariat and restore its place of pride in NBA history.
Mazi Afam Osigwe (Immediate Past General Secretary of
NBA).