Tabansi: We Took Innoson Motors to Court for Breaching Supply Agreement

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The Chief Executive Officer of Petronella Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Charles Tabansi, has clarified that his company sued Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing supplying nine out of 20 units of Innoson Granite brand of diesel vehicles his company ordered. 

Tabansi said: “They later withdrew one, which had mechanical fault, and we waited for the remaining 12 units, but they were never supplied.

“Also, the eight supplied did not have the specifications, which we demanded, to be able to meet up with our job with Shell, so we rejected the vehicles.”

He said that since 2021, IVM has refused to refund it for the 12 unit it failed to supply, or even for all of them as it has rejected the entire supply.

Recounting how his company decided to patronise IVM, Tabansi said: “A friend of mine visited him in 2021 with a brand of vehicle manufactured by IVM, which was called Innoson Granite. I inspected the car and fell in love, and since my company was due for new vehicles, I decided to patronise IVM, which is owned by a fellow Anambra man, Mr. Innocent Chukwuma.”

He said that during one of his visits to Anambra, he branched off at IVM factory where he met Chukwuma himself and much later when he showed he could deliver, his bank transfered N415 million to IVM for the supply at the cost of N21.5million per vehicle, with a balance of N15million, which he intended to pay once IVM delivered.

“I have exhausted all peaceful approaches within the December period of 2021 to get back my money without success. Then on January 5, 2022, I sued him with his company, Innoson.

“So, Chief Innocent, Innoson is presently indebted to me to the tune N415million at present and I have dispatched all the eight vehicles supplied to his office in Port Harcourt,” Tabansi said.

When THISDAY reached the spokesperson for IVM, Mr. Cornel Osigwe, for reaction, he insisted that the vehicles supplied were yet to be returned to its Nnewi head office, adding that the specifications demanded by Petronella were met.

“Petronella Nigeria Limited ordered for 20 units of Granite Diesel Pick Ups. We met the standard and basic specifications it demanded from us and provided every certification it requested for.

“After a while, surprisingly, rather than pay their outstanding, Petronella said it is returning the ones it took delivery of. Then given that we trust our quality and standard, and that the vehicles are in high demand, we asked Petronella to return the vehicles to our factory in Nnewi so that we will refund it the purchase price it paid. But up till this day, these vehicles are still in their possession,” Osigwe said.