Atiku sued over unpaid workers salaries and breach of contract

By Oluchi Ihediuche

A Foreign broadcast journalist, Hannington Osodo, has filed a case against the owner of Gotel Africa Media Limited, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, before the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Lagos.

Osodo who accuses the former vice president Atiku of owing him and others so many months unpaid salaries after breaching contracts they had with his company as consultant.

The suit filed on the journalist’s behalf by his counsel, Olumide Aju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is praying the court to order the company to pay him the claim.

The case will be openned for hearing on January 27th.

Others allegedly affected include David Guinan, Ebong Udoma, William Chu, Devon Petley, Susie Iliyan, Teddy Vuong, Kostas Sergiadis and Richard Spiropoulos.

According to the team, their mission was to launch an international news channel based in Abuja for Atiku but barely 10 months after they arrived in Nigeria, they were forced to leave with major outstanding salaries despite having valid work visas issued by the Nigerian government.

However a statement released by Atiku through his media team blamed the former MD/CEO of Gotel, John Chiaiheman, for the unpaid salaries.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the funds dedicated to the payment of salaries of staff, both local and expatriates that were engaged by Chiamehen himself were made available to him. All those concerned are advised to contact Mr Chiamehen accordingly.”