Barely three months to 2023 poll, there was a fresh row over alleged non-payment of a $5.9million fees by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to secure a visa to visit the United States in 2018.
A firm, Legacy Logistics LLC Limited, alleged that Atiku was yet to pay the princely sum for the visa.
Although the firm alleged that Atiku’s trip was applauded by his teeming supporters, he did not pay for the services rendered.
It alleged that Atiku intentionally refused to honour his part of the service agreement despite repeated demands.
But Atiku’s legal adviser, Prof. Maxwell Gidado (SAN) , who was named by the firm to be in the know of the agreement, said the company did not procure any visa for the PDP candidate.
He also said no agreement was signed with the company to pay $5.9million for the visa.
He said Legacy Logistics LLC Limited outsourced the service to retired Ambassador Kumba in Dallas in the United States, who admitted that what he did was not up to half a million dollar.
He said upon return from his shuttles to the United States in 2018, Atiku paid the aggrieved company some money for its “troubles.”
He said the protest letter was an attempt to “extort money from Atiku.”
After a 13-year break, it was difficult for Atiku to secure entry to the US in 2018.
The development made him to hire some legal firms and lobby groups to be able to get a visa to prove that he was not banned from America.
In spite of the fact that the efforts paid off, the PDP candidate did not claim that a price was allegedly attached to the visa procurement.
But Legacy Logistics LLC Limited has come out openly to admit that it was one of those who made Atiku’s visa processing possible at $5.9million, which it claimed, remains unpaid.
The company has however, indicated its preparedness for a legal battle, unless Atiku fulfills his obligation to it.
It made its position known in a letter, which was dated September 19, 2022, by a legal firm, Jurisperitus Associates.
The letter was titled: “Demand for payment of the sum of $5,900,000 Legacy Logistics LLC for processing and procurements of United States of American visa on your behalf.”
The excerpts of the letter, originally published by Saharareporters, read in part: “We are solicitors to Legacy Logistics LLC Ltd (hereinafter referred to as our client and on its behalf and instructions) we write you:
“Our client briefed us thus:
- That you instructed your legal representative Prof. Maxwell Gidado, SAN and your advisor, Dr. Samuel Cornelius to seek the services of our client to process and procure United States of American visa on your behalf.
- Consequent upon your instruction, a scope of service agreement was entered into dated 15th October, 2018. The service our client was to provide base on the agreement were specified in the addendum I to the scope of service agreement.
- Our client diligently executed the agreement and you were successfully issued the United States of America visa which same was delivered to you.
“You subsequently used the said visa and travelled to the United States of American whereby your teeming supporters and admirers in Nigeria and the world over applauded you.
“Your Excellency sir, you have intentionally refused and neglected to honour your part of the service agreement despite repeated demands from our client.”
When contacted last night, Prof. Maxwell Gidado (SAN) said the firm did not do the job.
But he said the promoters of the aggrieved company were paid for their “troubles” to get Atiku a visa to the United States.
The Nation
