Petronella Nigeria's CEO Speaks On Taking Innoson Motors to Court 

Charles Tabansi, the Chief Executive Officer of oil servicing firm, Petronella Nigeria Ltd, has clarified a recent court suit instituted by his company against indigenous car manufacturing company, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM).

According to Tabansi, his company ordered 20 pieces of Innoson Granite brand of diesel vehicles, with a specification that would help it work for its client Shell BP, but IVM supplied only nine vehicles.

“They later withdrew one, which had a 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 our job with shell, so we rejected the vehicles.”

Tabansi said that since 2021, IVM has refused to refund it for the 12 units it failed to supply, or even for all of them as it has rejected the entire supply, instead it has been giving excuses.

Recounting how his company decided to patronize IVM, Tabansi said: “A friend of mine visited me 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 patronize IVM, which is owned by an Anambra man (Mr Innocent Chukwuma) like myself.”

He said 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 transferred 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 of N415 million at present and I have dispatched all his eight vehicles supplied to his office in Port Harcourt,” Tabansi said.

Attempts to reach IVM's spokesman, Cornel Osigwe, for his reaction, resulted in him insisting that the vehicles supplied were yet to be returned to its Nnewi head office, adding that the specifications demanded by Petronella were met.

“Petronella Nig Ltd ordered 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 was 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 we will refund the purchase price paid, but up till this day, these vehicles are still in their possession,” he stated.