By Praise Chinecherem
The Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in last year’s Anambra State election, Senator Andy Uba has debunked alleged N50 million loan from Oranto Petroleum Limited, a company belonging to oil mogul, Engr Arthur Eze.
He described the report as fallacious, insisting he did not borrow from Eze or any other person.
Uba was reacting to the viral news of execution of a court judgment in which it was reported that vehicles belonging to him were seized over a N50 million loan he purportedly took from the Petroleum firm
In a press statement, Sen Uba narrated how the Ukpo billionaire came to St. James Anglican Church, Uga, during his campaign for senate in 2015 and made a donation of N50m.
He released a video footage where Prince Arthur Eze was heard making the donation in the church and gave out the N50 million cheque to the presiding priest at the alter in support of his campaign for senate in 2015.
He said he was dumbfounded and shocked when the oil magnet turned around to obtain a fraudulent judgement from Anambra state high court, Ekwulobia division in 2017.
He said he quickly filed an appeal against the judgement but had to withdraw the appeal following intervention of some stakeholders from Anambra state led by Prince Austin Ndigwe (UZU-AWKA).
Uba who said he withdrew his appeal after meeting with Arthur Eze at his Enugu residence in a peace meeting brokered by Uzu-Awka, said he was shocked that after withdrawing his appeal at the Appeal court, Enugu Division, the Ukpo billionaire reneged on their peace agreement and clandestinely went behind to execute the fraudulent judgement of the Ekwulobia high court.
The statement reads: “My attention has been drawn to the defamatory, maligning and character injurious publications in the print and electronic medium, as well as social media platforms on malicious falsehood and allegations arising from the execution of the judgement of the High Court of Anambra State in suit No: AG/94/2016, through the bailiffs of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja on 23/8/2022.
“It is fundamentally imperative to unequivocally state in clear and categorical terms the true factual position, thus:
“For the avoidance of doubt, I never borrowed N50,000,000 (fifty million naira only) from prince Arthur Eze, both of us only attended a church service at St. James Anglican Church Uga, Aguata L.G.A, Anambra State during my senatorial campaign in the build-up to 2015 general elections.
“In the course of the said church service, Prince Arthur Eze donated N50,000,000 (fifty million naira only) to support my senatorial political campaign on the altar and the entire congregant was engulfed with joy and happiness which made the officiating priest extend a warm handshake of gratitude and appreciation for his kind gesture and I equally sent a letter of appreciation dated 22/2/2015 to Prince Arthur Eze.
“I was dumbfounded, surprised and flabbergasted having learnt that my bosom friend and brother, had through his company Oranto Petroleum Limited through which the said cheque of N50,000,000 (fifty million nairas only) was drawn had filed an action one year after at the High Court of Anambra State, Aguata division sitting at ekwulobia in suit No: AG/94/2016, through what they called (undefended list) Procedure or liquidated money demand or summary judgment procedure. The pertinent question on the lips of many people would be, do people go to the rooftops to praise or thank others for granting them loan facilities? How many people have you seen that secured a loan facility from a bank or an individual and went to church praising the creditor for granting them such a loan facility which would only be repaid?
“I quickly engaged my lawyers who filed my defence on merit denying the allegations that the said money was a loan but a free will donation, unfortunately despite our obvious defence and issues having been joined, the trial court refused and failed to afford us fair hearing by having the matter heard on full-blown trial where witnesses will be called and evidence led, but proceeded to hear the matter on (undefended list) procedure or summary judgment procedure, that is, hearing the case on only the allegations and documents filed by the plaintiff (Oranto Petroleum Limited) without contradiction, whatsoever. The court went ahead to grant all the reliefs and entered judgement in favour of the plaintiff on 6/3/2017.
“In exercise of my constitutional right, I appealed to the Court of Appeal Enugu division culminating to Senator Andy Andy –Vs- Oranto Petroleum Limited, Appeal No: CA/E/197/2017.
