FAAN boss denies contempt charge

[Punch]

The Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria,  Mr. George Uriesi, who was summoned by a Federal High in Lagos last week over an alleged disobedience of the court's order, has denied the allegation.

Counsel for Uresi and others summoned along with him,  Mr. Kola Awodein, SAN, at Wednesday's proceedings,  urged the court to stay the contempt charge against his clients pending the determination of two applications  he had filed at the Court of Appeal.

Justice Binta Nyako had on March 28, 2012 summoned Uriesi and three other members of the management staff of FAAN, following the contempt proceedings filed against them for allegedly violating a court's order delivered on  September 24, 2010.

The contempt proceeding was initiated by Maevis Limited in a suit in which the FAAN officers were said to have taken actions undermining a court order.

The order was said to have barred parties in the substantive suit from taking any step that could destroy the case's res (the subject matter).

Maevis Limited has a contract with the FAAN for provision of the Airport Operations Management System platform in four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt.

Awodein, who insisted that his clients had not violated any order of the court, said he would prove their innocence in due course.

Awodein said,  "We want the court to stay further proceedings pending the determination of our processes at the Court of Appeal. Whether the processes have merit or not, we have filed them and it is the Court of Appeal who will determine that."



The Punch