More than one year after supplying sundry vehicle models to the Imo State Government, Nnewi-based Innoson Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing (IVM) has filed a suit against Gov Hope Uzodinma and his administration to recover the total cost of the automobiles valued at over N2.5billion.T
he indigenous auto maker, which is a member of the Innoson Group, said in a statement that it resorted to litigation following the failure of the Imo State Government to pay or service the debt of N2,547,666,435.00 (about $6.3m), being the purchase price of the various IVM Vehicles including their parts which IVM manufactured, sold and delivered to it.
The statement signed by Cornel Osigwe, Head, Corporate Communications and Affairs for Innoson Group, said the lawsuit became the last resort, because “the Imo State Governor or its government has refused and failed to pay the debt despite repeated demands and appeals.”
Osigwe also disclosed that the suit was filed by Prof Joseph N Mbadugha, SAN, of McCarthy Mbadugha & Co, the counsel to Innoson Vehicles, after “repeated attempts made by the Chairman/CEO of IVM, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, to the governor urging him to pay the company.”
According to him, the deal was struck sometime in April 2021, when Gov. Uzodinma invited Chief Chukwuma to the Imo State Government House, Owerri where they discussed and agreed that IVM would sell and supply various specifications of its brand of vehicles to the Imo State Government.
