…UBA demands an apology from Senator Akinyelure
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has described as frivolous the indictment of its Chairman, Tony Elumeluby by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Ayo Akinyelure over a N41 billion fraud relating to defunct NITEL.
This was contained in a letter sighted by Nigeria Today on Monday and signed by the lenders’ lawyers, RA Lawal-Rabana and Kemi Balogun. The Bank described the allegations as “shocking, baseless, false, and mischievous”.
“Our Client is shocked by this false, baseless and mischievous allegation as neither he nor any of the organisations associated with him has ever been involved in or indicted for any fraud as was falsely alleged by Senator Ayo Akinyelure,” the letter read in part.
According to UBA, the accusation is a deliberate attempt by the lawmaker to build a lie and distortion against a dignified personality and business reputation of Elumelu.
“Our Client is also alarmed and appalled by this deliberate peddling of falsehood and misinformation against an unblemished personal and business reputation, painstakingly built by our client over several decades with great personal sacrifice and unquestionable integrity.
“Our Client rejects Senator Akinyelure’s attempt to use the platform of the respected institution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to accomplish whatever ulterior moves he may have.”
However, the bank further clarifies that the matters surrounding the alleged financial indebtedness it has, which might have warranted the allegations were pending before the nation’s apex court, and this was affirmed when the bank appeared the senate Committee.
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“It is important to emphasise that when UBA appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, attention was drawn to the fact that the facts and circumstances leading to the disputes on the alleged financial indebtedness was pending before the Supreme Court in SC/CV/112/2020.
“It was resolved that given the pendency of the matter at the Supreme Court in sub-judice and all actions on the matter be suspended. It is shocking and sacrilegious that a matter pending at the Ape Court could be subjected to debate contrary to the Rules of the Senate and by extension, the principle of law that when a matter is sub-judice, it should not be subjected to debate before a decision is reached by the Court. Therefore, the publication ascribed to Senator Ayo Akinyelure is in total disregard of the Rules of Senate and the Rule of Law.
“Our client has instructed us to, and we have demanded an immediate open, public and unreserved retraction of the said statement credited to Senator Akinyelure and an apology from Senator Akinyelure for this false allegation and defamation of our Client.
“We have our Client’s further instruction to take all appropriate legal actions against Senator Akinyelure and his media agents if our above stated demand is not met within Seven (7) days of their receipt of our demand letter.”
