By Lukman Olabiyi
A non governmental organisation (NGO), Centre for Transparency and Defence of Human Rights (CTDHR), has dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court, Lagos over alleged irregularities in the bid process for the concession of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
In a writ of summon filed before the court by it’s lawyer, Mr. Samuel Agweh (SAN), the NGO is asking the court to compel the Federal Government through the Ministry of Aviation to disqualify two of the companies that participated in the MMIA, Lagos concession bid process; TAV Airport Holding Company and GMR Airport Limited for dishonesty and misrepresentation.
Listed as co defendants along with the Federal Government in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Aviation, NAHCO Aviance Plc, Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, TAV Airport Holding Company and GMR Airport Ltd. The plaintiff averred that Tav Airport Holding Company and GMR Airport Ltd which submitted separate bids for MMIA and were shortlisted for the next phase of the concession are owned by same company, Airport De Paris, ADP.
According to the plaintiff, the status of the two companies is contrary to the Request For Qualification, RFQ, guidelines set out by the Ministry of Aviation which stipulates that companies owned by same entity cannot submit separate bids for the concession.
The NGO further averred that the actions of the two companies is a demonstration of dishonesty, lack of integrity and deliberate attempt to deceive and hoodwink the contracting authority and hand over the nation’s gateway airport to “persons of questionable character who lack integrity and repute”.