Former Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed has said the takeover of his Ilorin property by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) is unnecessary, describing it as overzealous due to ongoing talks to resolve previous transactions with two defunct banks.
In a statement by his media aide, Wahab Oba, Ahmed clarified that the dispute was based on a margin loan he secured from Intercontinental Bank and Finbank in 2009 for the purchase of shares which was then lumped with unrelated loans obtained by others.
Ahmed explained that the banks held the shares as collateral to sell and recover the loans in the event of a default.
Instead, he said, the banks passed the loans to AMCON instead of selling the shares to recover the loan amount.
Alhaji Ahmed said he was in talks with AMCON to separate the liabilities before the lawyer’s overzealous conduct despite knowing the loan amount was in dispute and that reconciliation talks were ongoing.
The former governor gave a firm commitment to meet any outstanding obligations once the loans were disaggregated.
AMCON’s statement on takeover
AMCON, had in a statement signed by its Head, Corporate Communications Department, Jude Nwauzor, said that it had traced nine other properties belonging to the ex-governor in Kwara, Lagos and Abuja some of which include: houses at 13, Alhaji Masha Road, Surulere; No. 9 Wharf, Apapa, Lagos; Plot 3632, Cadastral Zone E27 of Apo, Abuja; Plot 4115, Cadastral Zone F14 of Bazango, Abuja; Plot 8502, Cadastral Zone E31 of Carraway Dallas, Abuja; and Plot 494, Cadastral Zone E31 of Carraway Dallas, Abuja.
The agency said the seizure was sequel to an order by Justice A.M Liman of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The statement partly reads, “AMCON on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, in Ilorin, the Kwara State, capital took over the palatial mansion of Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, the former two-time governor of Kwara State over a staggering indebtedness of nearly N5bn.
“Justice Liman also ordered the freezing of the bank accounts of the former governor and his two companies including Trans Properties and Investment Limited and Trans It Consulting Limited in Suit No: FHC/L/AMC/01/2021.
“The former governor who is one of the founders of the newly established third force in Nigerian politics known as the Rescue Nigeria Project is one of the high-profile obligors of AMCON. Despite holding one of the highly exalted political offices in the land, he remained recalcitrant over the repayment of his obligation.”
The agency stated that it took possession of the mansion belonging to the former governor located at Abdulfatah Street, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.
AMCON said it had taken over the non-performing loans of the former governor and his companies, Trans Properties and Investment Limited and Trans It Consulting Limited, from the former Intercontinental Bank, FinBank and Bank PHB during the first phase of EBA purchases, in line with its mandate under the AMCON Act.
“All efforts to peacefully resolve the loan had been frustrated by the former governor who remained recalcitrant, which left AMCON no other choice but to seek justice in court,” it said.
