A witness, Mr Robert Okonyia, in a land dispute, on Friday told an FCT High Court that Graf Consultants Ltd., gave him the Power of Attorney to act on its behalf.
Okoniya made this known when he testified before Justice Salisu Garba in he matter.

The plaintiff, Graf Consultants Ltd., sued the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Minister of the FCT and Mrs Olushola Idowu for alleged revocation of the its property.

The disputed land is located at the Asokoro District of the FCT. Counsel for FCDA Betty Umegbulem had told the court that it was a practice to revoke any not developed with two years.

Umegbulem said this land had taken more than 15 years and not developed and was allocated to another person. At the resumed hearing, Okoniya told the court during cross examination by by Umegbulem, that the plaintiff gave him the power of attorney in 1999.

“I have been issued with the power of attorney by the plaintiff to handle the matter regarding the land. “The plaintiff was informed by the people in charge of the central location Office of Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) because it is system information shown to any land owner in Abuja“ he said.

Okonyia said that he did not know the address which the plaintiff supplied to the defendant when he was applying for land. He told the court that the fencing and the erecting of the security post at the land did not require any approval from FCDA.

“When the land was revoked and the FCDA refused to withdraw the revocation letter, the plaintiff reported to the Senate on March 28, 2008. The two other matters before the court in relation to the same land came after the plaintiff’s report to the Senate,” he said.

He said he had no relationship with the 3rd defendant, Idowu, a former deputy governor of Osun and Minister of state for Defence. Idowu’s name was struck out from this suit.

The witness said that there was a consent agreement between the plaintiff and Idowu and that N90 million was paid by her for the inconveniences created by acquiring the land from the bank.

He said the meeting in this transaction was called by the legal unit of the FCDA, the plaintiff accepted the offer and gave the power of attorney to the witness.
Objecting, Mr Ikoro Ikoro, Counsel for the plaintiff, drew the attention of the court to the power of attorney.

Okoro urged the court to allow him tender the copy of the power of attorney before the court since the issue of it had occurred at each stage. He informed the court that the document was pleaded and relevant, adding that the defendant counsel had asked for this document as well as proof of the directors.

He said he could tender it from the bar. Umegbelum objected to the tendering of the document, saying that the document was not pleaded nor uploaded.

Ikoro insisted that the document was a certified true copy from the Corporate Affairs Commission. The judge after listening to counsel submissions adjourned till Nov. 22 for ruling on the tendering of the document.