The surreptitious imbroglio between fourth Republic lawmaker, Senator Andy Uba and multi millionaire businessman, Prince Arthur Eze seems to have taken a new dimension as they are currently enmeshed in a cold war over a property belonging to Major Emmanuel Okwuosa.
So messy is the situation that allegations and counter allegations are flying from supporters of the two heavyweights.
National WAVES learnt that an Enugu High Court ordered that the property situated at Plots M17 and 0/19 Independence Layout, behind Enugu State Government House be sold to enable Prince Eze recover the sum of 1million dollars owned him by Major Okwuosa.
While the Enugu High Court presided over by Justice Innocent Umezulike ordered on October 10, 2012 that the said property be sold to offset the debt owned Prince Eze, Senator Uba is claiming ownership of the said property which he claimed he bought by proxy from the original owners, Chief R. O Nkwocha family.
While Senator Andy Uba and Prince Arthur Eze are at loggerheads over the said property, Diamond Bank claimed that Okwuosa through whom Uba claimed to have bought the property has an equitable mortgage with it and Diamond Bank notified the court that it has interest in the matter.
The court had granted an ex-parte application brought by Obi Orakwue, counsel for Prince Arthur Eze pursuant to Section 44 of Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, 2004; Order IV Rules 1( 2) & 16 (1): Order VII Rules 7 Judgment Enforcement Rules and ordered the attachment and sale by private contact of the immovable property to tune of US$1 million.
Going by the issuance of the Writ of attachment and sale against the said property by the court as directed by the Judge in suit no E/147/2012, Senator Uba filled an application as an interested party/appellant claiming that the two properties in question were bought for him by Major Okwuosa form Chief R.O Nkwocha family at the sum of N250million.
The lawmaker appealed against the order of the court for attachment and sale of the immovable property of Okwuosa by Prince Arthur Eze in order to satisfy the judgement debt in his favour, urged the court to make an order in halting the sale of the property.
While appealing, Uba’s lawyer, Chuma Oguejiofor, told the court that Okwuosa purchased the property on behalf of his client with the original owners in the know.
Uba said he had told Okwuosa to give him the document after he gave him the sum of N250million to buy the property but he maintained that the document is with his lawyer and later with the officials of the Land and Registry, Enugu. He added that he was surprised to find out that he registered the land in his name.
In a counter affidavit that is against Uba’s motion, Orakwue, counsel to Prince Eze told the court that Uba was not the owner of the property, adding that the said property belongs to Okwuosa. He maintained that Okwuosa and his company, Major Concepts Limited were the real owners of the property.
“ I believe that the applicant (Uba) had no funds to have acquired the two immovable properties said to have been bought at the sum of N120million given his past position as mere domestic servant of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and a taxi driver in Los Angeles, United State of America” Said Eze.
He added that Uba has no strong financial pedigree to own the said property. He further added that Uba had no evidence disclosing purchase of the two attached properties either by show of bill of exchange or land instrument or documentary receipt. He maintained that his claims to the property “ are bogus speculation and an attempt to claim to be a rich politician”
Eze however urged the court not to grant Uba’s application.
But Uba’s counsel filed another affidavit arguing that Uba had a solid financial resources to own the property as at the time he bought the said property through Major Okwuosa.
