A firm, Rozi International, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) scheme following an order by Abuja Federal High Court.
The appeal was made in a May 15 letter by its lawyers, Chief Wole Olanipekun and Magaji Mahmud.
It was written through Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
They said the case: FHC/ABJ/CS/2289/2022,is between Rozi, Ttransport minister and 10 others.
Defendants are AGF; Nigeria Shippers’ Council; BPP; ICRC; Winslow Logistic; Equal logistics; Velocity Logistics and Marine Services; Sahams Crystal Investment and Antaser Nigeria Limited.
The attorneys noted the implementation would negatively impact the project and economy.
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They said despite huge investments on the project, the first to fourth defendants decided to seek approval of the sixth to 10th defendants, with the President’s approval to their client still existing.
The lawyers argued that taking the project from Rozi to other parties, was breached orders of Federal High Court against the defendants.
They noted upon getting the approvals, their client “incurred tremendous costs towards actualisation” of the scheme with stakeholders, carrying out due diligence on the firm’s facility in Italy on December 3, 2021.
The attorneys said their client, with 30 years experience in service delivery , sought and obtained approvals and a “No Objection” from first to fourth defendants and the President‘s to begin the scheme.
The duo said despite the pendency of the suit and injunctive orders, the subject of the dispute was presented at Federal Executive Council meeting on February 15, for the purpose of taking the approval granted to Rozi and transferring it to the sixth to 10th defendants for a duration of 15 years.
The lawyers stated: “This necessitated the commencement of the captioned suit vide a writ of summons and statement of claim filed on December 13, 2022, seeking declarative and injunctive reliefs pertaining to the International Cargo Tracking Note Scheme and procurement of companies thereto.
“Concurrent with the filing of the writ of summons and statement of claim, our client also filed a motion ex-parte on December 13, 2022, seeking order of interim injunction against all defendants in the suit and for the maintenance of status quo pending hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
They added: “Having said all this, and appreciating the fact that Mr. President believes in due process, may we, on behalf of our client, and on its instruction, respectfully enjoin Mr. President to direct a stay of all actions and steps on this very critical and fundamental subject, bearing in mind the far-reaching effects which its implementation, as being presently projected, would ultimately have on the project itself, as well as the overall economy.
“Most humbly as well, Mr. President, it would be unfair, unjust and inequitable to go ahead with the implementation of this project without the involvement of our client, who substantially pioneered it, and in whose favour, Mr. President gave approval as far back as August 19, 2021.
“It is our client’s belief and conviction that Mr. President believes in and subscribes to fairness and fair play. Thus, our client further enjoins Mr. President to urgently look into this matter, as well as give necessary directives on this letter, which is a passionate appeal to Mr. President to ‘save the soul’ of our client and preserve its huge investment in the project.”