The last has not been heard on the back and forth between lnnoson Vehicle Manufacturing, IVM and the Imo state government. The Nnewi based vehicle giant initially filed a law suit against the state requesting payment for N2.5B for vehicles supplied since April, 2021. Since then they have received a reply of equal proportion with the state government accusing the manufacturing of half truths.
Tuesday came with another statement from Innoson Motors detailing the genesis of the transactions between both parties. In a statement on its official social media handle “Imo State Owes Innoson Vehicles N2.5B And We Stand By Our Statement,” signed by Cornel Osigwe, Head, Corporate Communication Affairs of Innoson group; “Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly release by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba on behalf of the Imo State Government.
The said statement was unscrupulously written to water down the facts and substance stated in our earlier statement. We do not wish to join words with Imo State Government as we now have it on good authority that it has engaged its e-dogs to discredit our brand in the media space. The matter is now before the courts and we have always believed in the integrity of the judiciary to do the right thing when facts are stated. However, to ensure that the public is not deceived by the so-called response, we have decided to puncture the pack of lies and further strengthen the facts.”
1. On buying N5B worth of vehicles: In March 2020, Imo State Government under His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma on the assumption of office as the Governor of Imo State procured and paid for its first set of Innoson Vehicles it ordered from the company. The Governor assured Innoson that his government will always patronize Innoson Vehicles for its vehicular needs. The details of this transaction were not done in secret but were carried in the media.
After one year, specifically in April 2021, Imo State Government requested the supply of another set of vehicles with an understanding the State Government will pay for the vehicles after deliveries to them, just as was the case with the first transaction and which request was granted and honored. This particular transaction was reported by many news media. See link as reported by Thisday Newspaper-
Innoson Vehicles has made all efforts since April 2021 through every means possible to make the Governor pay for the vehicles, all to no avail, even with the involvement of top officials in Government, clergies, and Bishops both with and outside Imo State to intervene on the matter, yet Imo State Government never responded to all these interventions.
More so, Innoson Vehicles gave Imo State Government an option of setting up a payment plan on monthly basis, yet there was no response or word from the State Government. Approaching the courts to recover the debt was the last option for us since The Governor has rebuffed all entreaties made to him to pay us.
2. Contractual Agreement: it is not correct that Innoson Vehicles agreed with the Imo State Government that Innoson Vehicles will set up a Service Centre in Imo State. For the avoidance of doubt, Innoson Vehicles have various vehicle servicing partners in Imo State where Innoson Vehicles are maintained and serviced.
More interestingly, Innoson Vehicles has its unique mobile workshop that provides maintenance and vehicle servicing to its clients To the best of our knowledge, Innoson Vehicles has always maintained and serviced the vehicles supplied to the Imo State Government up to the stage the company decided to disengage its maintenance and servicing as a result of non-payment of servicing parts used which have risen
