Court to hear Uba’s case against INEC February

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 27.11.2007

A federal high court judge sitting in Abuja on Monday fixed hearing in the case between Chief Chris Uba and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Profeesor Maurice Iwu, for February 5, 2008.

The case, which was mentioned for the first time on Monday ,was fixed for hearing after counsel to Uba, Mr. Cliff Oparandu and INEC counsel, Chika Ugwu, agreed to the date.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Maurice Iwu and seven other top officials of the electoral body were accused by Uba of fraudulently obtaining money worth over £536,000 and $21,593,70 from him in a N4 billion contract deal that went sour.

Iwu is currently under pressure to resign from his position as INEC boss due to the shoddy conduct of the April general elections. He was said to have breached the contractual agreements signed with Uba by awarding same contract to another firm where he had business interest.

Specifically, the suit (FHC/AB/CS/318/07), which was filed by Uba’s solicitors ,Cliff Oparaodu & Co. on May 4, accused the commission, Iwu and seven other defendants of breaching the contractual agreements reached with the consortium sometimes in September, 2005 for the supply of Satellite Imaginary Geographical Information System to be used in the April 2007 elections.