Nigerian Minister Risks Jail

:::::::::Nigeria’s Power minister, Professor Barth
Nnaji and Dr. Sam Amadi, chairman of
National Electricity Regulatory Commission,
NERC, have been dragged before a Federal
High Court siting in Abuja over controversies
surrounding the pre- paid meter contract.
The court presided over by Justice Gladys
Olotu on Thursday issued an order restraining
both officials from awarding any contract for
the manufacturing and procurement of the
prepaid meter.
Justice Kayode Eso of the Court of Arbitration
had earlier issued an order restraining the
Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN,
from awarding the contract to any other
company pending the determination of the appeal brought by a firm, Ziklagsis Network
Limited. But the minister was said to have vowed that the government of Nigeria would not
be bound by any court order.
PHCN in 2003, entered into a tripartite agreement with Ziklagsis, Unistar High-Tech System
Limited for the maintenance of Prepaid Electricity Meters. Ziklagsis in a separate letters to
Nnaji and Amadi alleged that the agreement was frustrated by very senior management
staff of the PHCN through various manipulations.
The judgement of Justice Eso was said to have been disobeyed by the Minister and the NERC
Chairman, a development that prompted counsel to Ziklagsis, Dr. Alex Iziyon, a senior
advocate of Nigeria, to file Form 48 at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court granted an interim injunction order restraining the the minister and NERC, their
agents, servants or any other person however described from taking any action whatsoever
that will directly or by implication renders nugatory the partial award granted in favour of
Ziklagsis by the Sole Arbitrator, Hon. Justice Kayode Eso, JSC (Rtd) in the arbitration
proceedings between Ziklagsis Network Limited and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria
pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.