A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, yesterday, fixed February 28 to consider whether or not an order should be issued against Senator Nelson Effiong, following his alleged failure to repay a loan he took to facilitate his election campaign in 2015.

Justice Salisu Garba adjourned the matter to rule on a motion the lawmaker, who is representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, filed for extension of time to seek an out-of-court settlement deal with the plaintiff.

The suit marked CV/1874/18, was lodged before the court by one Mrs. Nsedu Bassey Onyile, who is based outside the country. In the Writ of Summons before the court, the plaintiff claimed that the lawmaker, who she identified as a family friend of over 10 years, had sometime in February 2015, approached her for a soft loan of $10,000 to fund his campaign to contest for Senate.

In a supporting affidavit deposed to by one Inyang Essien, the plaintiff, said she obliged the defendant and sent him the money through one Ante E. Okwong on March 18, 2015, through a bank of America wire transfer. She said the transaction was duly acknowledged by the Defendant.

“That the Defendant acknowledged receipt of the money (the sum of $10,000) and promised to pay back by August 2015.

“That the request to recover the $10,000 was made to the defendant since August 2015; another request was made to the defendant via letter to pay back the money on June 1, 2017. The said letter is hereby attached and marked EXHIBIT BB.

“That despite all these efforts to recover the money, the Defendant has blatantly refused to refund the money.”

When the matter came up for hearing, yesterday, counsel to the embattled Senator, Mr. Peter Akpan, sought a short adjournment to enable his client explore an amicable settlement of the matter.

•Sourced from a Vanguard report

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