Leadership Holdings Limited, publishers of the Leadership titles, has returned the N9 million it received from the Presidency through the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) as compensation for the seizure of its publications in June 2014.
NPAN Chairman, Nduka Obaigbena, had disclosed in a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dated December 9, 2015 that he received N120million on behalf of “12 newspapers who demanded compensation for the brutal and unlawful seizure of newspapers and stoppage of circulation by armed soldiers in Abuja and several cities”.
In a letter dated January 29 and addressed to the General Secretary of NPAN, Leadership said it decided to return the money after Chairman of Daily Trust, Kabiru Yusuf, went behind the association and directed his newspaper to refund the money.
The letter entitled Re: Compensation for illegal seizure of newspapers was signed by the Group Managing Director of Leadership Newspapers Group Limited, Mike Okpere.
It reads: “We refer to the above subject matter and enclose herewith a Zenith Bank draft no 08549695 for the sum of N9,000,000.00 (Nine million Naira only) being refund of the compensation paid by the Goodluck Jonathan government for the crude and illegal seizure of our newspapers over a period of 5 days by soldiers from the 6th of June to the 10th of June 2014 through the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
“It will be recalled that this was the sum paid to all newspapers which incurred losses as a result of the act which was arrived ay when President Jonathan pleaded for an out of court settlement.
“It has come to our notice that the chairman of Daily Trust, Malam Kabiru Yusuf who was acting president of NPAN/chairman of the meeting held at Mr. Sam Amuka’s guest house in Lagos in December 2015 where it was agreed, after a detailed analysis of the situation that NPAN and the newspapers committed no offence by the out of court settlement and therefore had no reason to refund the compensation, has gone behind the association’s back and directed the Daily Trust to refund money.
“After such a dishonourable act by the one person under whose direction members of the association all agreed that there would be no need to refund the money, it is our view that it is no longer tenable not to refund. This is particularly more discomforting when it is recalled that the decision to agree to the out of court settlement and compensation was taken at the Abuja office of Daily Trust with Kabiru Yusuf in attendance. It is for this reason that we are refunding the N9 million.
“But we will like to maintain the general position that neither the NPAN nor newspaper committed any offence. Our chairman has also made it clear that he does not see any situation where LEADERSHIP will be part of any group that will take the current government to court.
“Therefore we should be counted out of any future decision to seek redress in court on this same matter. After all it is not the government that asked us to refund, it is the treachery of some of our members.
“Kindly be advised accordingly.”
Qed.ng recalls that The Sun Publishing Limited had in December returned the N9 million it received from the Presidency through NPAN.
A statement issued and signed by its Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Eric Osagie, The Sun said it took the decision following the controversies, which the payment of the compensation had generated and the need to come clean on the matter.
The Punch has suspended its membership of NPAN over the controversy.
Leadership is owned by a former presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Sam Nda-Isaiah.
The Sun is owned by former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.
