“A recommendation by the Director-General to the honourable Minister of Information, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for consideration of N2.5 billion Naira to Pinnacle Communications Ltd, for which there is an existing contractual agreement and relationship between NBC and the said company, with records stating that the services have already been rendered by Pinnacle. The same Pinnacle is still rendering services for the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on credit note, which shows absolute commitment on the part of Pinnacle Communications for rendering services to the government on a credit basis. The monies government owe Pinnacle is yet to be paid and this inability to pay promptly for services rendered has further opened the need for government to substitutionally resolve the above matter, not to allow it linger for too long in order to help restore public confidence”

“The need to strike a balance in order not to continue to waste taxpayers’ monies in court is very pressing. Having common understanding, its the only way of resolving the above matter in a manner that suits the federal government’s expectations. We further query the manner with which the ICPC echoed the said matter, it is not expected from such an agency; we condemn in totality the over-bloated financial resources earmark for litigations year in year out for the government to prosecute her cases in court, which we consider as huge loss for the government, for matter that should be resolved without two ears hearing it, monies that should be used to create job for the teeming youths, who are unemployed is been plunged into litigations. These present realities have further placed the need to recall some of these cases in court between agencies for out of court settlement in order to maximize the budgetary allocation for litigations, cutting it down by 50 percent will be of good to the nation”

“Seed Grant controversy can be reconciled by the parties involved on the ground of understanding of common differences. Reputable agencies such as NBC and ICPC should not be seen dragging themselves in issues such as this. NBC is a money generating institution for the government and her integrity with respect to the businesses conducted under her watch must be seen to have public confidence in all facets of her operations, as such, ICPC should seek caution as to the manner with which it is going about the whole court process’’

“The need to apply the theory of substitution in the above matter in order to balance the entire equation to bring  about permanent solution to the over flogged issue by harmonizing the common differences as to what government owes Pinnacle communications, and as to what should be given to the company as Seed Grant, which is being argued in court. In view of what the government is owing Pinnacle Communications Ltd vis-à-vis the Seed Grant: either government pays what she owes Pinnacle for the company to be able to return the Seed Grant given to them since it is been questioned as to the status of qualification for which the grant was given or substitute what the government is owing Pinnacle with the Seed Grant already collected, holding to the fact that Pinnacle has been rendering services to NBC in terms of signal distributions without payment  based on the mutual understanding between both parties, because Pinnacle needs to remain in business, and as such, prompt payment is of necessity for them to remain in business in order to continue to render good services to the government” 

“The Seed Grant for which the ICPC differs at the moment should not be dragged for too long in court. It should be resolved forthwith by striking the balance in order to permeate harmony among the agencies, not to further heat up the polity, as if it is a personal vendetta that is been vested. ICPC claims are yet to be substantiated in a competent court of jurisdiction, it is still in court waiting for the final judgment on the allegation to ascertain whether ICPC claims are true or not, from all standards of the law, ICPC calling for the  NBC DG suspension prior to the determination on the sustentative suit against him, will rather amount to “jumping before the gun’’ preempting the court’s judgement to have shot the gun first by calling for the NBC DG’s suspension, which may be undeserved, because what is been alleged is yet to be substantiated by a competent court’’

“It is against this background, that we call all parties involved in the court process, to seek alternative ways to redress and find a mutual ground for settlement that will satisfy both ends, and not to hamper the Digital Switch Over full implementation that Nigerians are yearning for, because DSO is billed to create employment for the teeming youths in Nigeria, for which Nigerians are very expectant. “Nothing can be resolved if there is no mutual understanding between both parties” ICPC, NBC and Pinnacle cannot be an exception to the proposed peaceful resolution on the alleged matter, which is in court at the moment. We use this medium to call for the Attorney General of the federation and the Minister of Justice to wade into the matter, since it is between two agencies of the government and a private organization, to further reduce wastage of our collective resources on needless litigation that can be resolved among parties”

Ambassador Agbonkpolor Aironmwanbor Splendour